Full police statement after Midlands shopping centre evacuated and 'people crying'
A shopping centre in the Midlands has been evacuated amid a police 'lockdown'. It is understood more than 150 shoppers and staff were ordered out of the shopping centre amid an ongoing police incident.
Witnesses said some were in tears as they were forced out of The Potteries Centre, in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, earlier today (Wednesday, February 5). A bomb squad has been alerted after a 'suspicious package' was found, with a 100m cordon launched.
Police have sealed off the Town Road area of the city centre. The package has been described by one witness as a 'large brown box', which is said to have been left near the shopping centre's entrance.
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A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "We are currently at the Potteries Centre on Town Road, Hanley, following reports of a suspicious package being found inside the shopping centre. We were called at 3.30pm this afternoon (Wednesday, February5).
"The shopping centre has been evacuated as a precaution and a 100m cordon is in place. Town Road has been closed. The Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) are providing advice to our officers. We will keep you updated."
One witness said: "The Potteries Centre is on lockdown. People are saying something has happened in one of the shops in Hanley. It's bad, loads of people are crying." The Potteries Centre apologised for 'disruption' caused, StokeonTrentLive reports.
A spokesman said: "We can confirm that The Potteries Centre has been evacuated due to a police incident. The police are investigating and we will update you as soon as we have further information.
"We’re sorry for any disruption caused and hope that we’ll be back to business as usual very soon." One shopper said: "People have been escorted out, including staff.
"The whole of the Potteries Centre is on lockdown. Police are telling everyone to move. The markets are closed downstairs too. The ambulance and police are there too."
Another witness added: "It’s a suspect package left on Town Road just outside the side doors to the centre. We have just been past and had to have to cordon lifted to get out as we were parked in the cordon area! It was a large brown box."
Another woman, who had to evacuate, said: "The shopping centre in Hanley has been evacuated, there's something going on in Town Road. About 150 people have been chucked out."