Panic as customers evacuated from Wembley Ikea after hoax 'bomb scare'

Two men have been arrested after a hoax "bomb threat" at an Ikea in north London.

Crowds of customers and staff were evacuated from the huge home and furniture store in Brent at just after 2.20pm on Wednesday.

Witnesses described panic and confusion as police descended on the Wembley shop and a Tannoy announcement ordered customers to leave the store.

One customer, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Standard: “I’m not sure what is going on, we just heard repeatedly that there’s ‘technical difficulties’ and to evacuate the building.

“We saw a guy say to his colleague ‘go and secure your exit’ and that colleague ran off.

“Then another 20 seconds after we heard the tannoy to evacuate. It was a bit panicked by the end as customers were worried.”

Another customer said there were about seven police cars, two police vans and officers blocking off the entrance.

A spokesman for the Met Police said they were called at 2.20pm to Drury Way to a report of a suspect package.

Officers from Brent rushed to the scene but found no such suspect package.

Two men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of communicating false information with intent. They were taken to a north London police station and remain in custody.