Anti-terror police: 'Suspicious item' in Newton Abbot not viable

Anti-terror police investigating a suspicious device found on the London Underground have discovered a related item in Devon.

Metropolitan Police officers evacuated an address in Tudor Road, Newton Abbot, after finding "an item they deemed suspicious".

The item was later found to be "not viable".

The discovery is linked to a device which was found at North Greenwich tube station, Met Police said.

Anti-terror officers have been given until 12pm on Friday to question a 19-year-old man - who is believed to be white - held over the package found in London.

Following the arrival of Met Police officers in Newton Abbot, a 200 metre cordon was put in place around an address in Tudor Road.

It was later lifted and residents were allowed to return to their homes.

In a statement, Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Further forensic searches will continue at the property in question.

"A police scene guard will remain in place whilst this work continues."

Phil Smith, 62, was refereeing a football match at a park around 400 yards from Tudor Road when police cleared the pitch.

He said: "Suddenly a policeman appeared on the touchline and said 'Sorry, you are going to have to stop playing and get out of the park - we want to land some helicopters on the football pitch'.

"He said there was an incident but couldn't say anything about it."

Mr Smith added: "As we came out of the park it was not possible to turn left into the centre of Newton Abbot, so we had to turn right and go away."

A local football team said on Twitter that road blocks had been placed around Newton Abbot "stopping all traffic from arriving".

The suspicious device found at North Greenwich station on Thursday morning was destroyed in a controlled explosion.

The station, a main hub for London's O2 complex, was evacuated and remained closed for several hours after the device was found.

Scotland Yard released no details on the item, saying only that it was forensically examined.

However, Sky News' Home Affairs Correspondent Mark White has learnt that authorities have ruled out the possibility the device was a hoax.

They are working on the theory that it may have been an improvised explosive device, White said.