Wigan incident: Police and bomb disposal unit on scene after road cordoned off

Bomb disposal technicians have left a cordoned-off street in Wigan after residents were evacuated.

Police had cordoned off Wigan Lane and a number of adjacent streets in connection with Monday's suicide bombing and a raid they carried out there on Wednesday.

The bomb disposal van left shortly after 9pm on Thursday, the cordon was lifted, and residents were told they could return home.

Eyewitnesses had described seeing a dozen police cars, police helicopters, bomb disposal vans and officers.

Police said the cordon had been put in place as a matter of "precaution" after "potentially suspicious items" were found at the address.

"We made an arrest in Wigan yesterday in connection with the investigation into the incident at Manchester Arena. Following this arrest a house in Wigan was raised this morning and is currently being searched," a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said.

"Potentially suspicious items were found at the address and a large cordon has been put in place as explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) make an assessment.

"We have a number of officers on the ground and are evacuating people as a matter of precaution as public safety is paramount to our investigation. We are working with the local authority to accommodate those who have been evacuated."

Police are reportedly asking residents who live within the cordon to find alternative accommodation overnight, according to Manchester Evening News.

An eyewitness told The Independent roughly a dozen police vehicles were blocking the road and two police helicopters were circling overhead.

"The police cordon has just been widened to about 100m. Armed police were about last night. Two bomb disposal vans have just arrived," they said.

Tom Piper, who lives on Springfield Street, said armed police stormed the address in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The 25-year-old said: "The police apparently turned up at 1.30am in the morning with guns and stormed the place. But I never heard it.

"Then they've been there all day, mainly just one or two police sat outside. Then about four or five-ish it looked like forensic people were there and then all of a sudden, about half-six, we all got told to evacuate."

Another witness said they had seen a bomb disposal squad unloading what appeared to be a specialist remote device to assist their search.

Greater Manchester Police said officers had been at an address in the area since Wednesday evening, following the arrest of a man carrying a suspicious package.

Wigan Council said Wigan Lane was closed between Mesnes Road and Central Parkway due to "a police incident", warning the public to avoid the area.

Police activity had restricted access to the nearby Wigan Royal Infirmary. Hospital chiefs said: "We are aware that people are experiencing difficulties in accessing the hospital via Wigan Lane. We are advising that anyone needing to come to the Infirmary this evening please access the building via the entrance nearest to the Cherry Gardens pub."

It came as police continued searches on numerous properties in the Greater Manchester area. Police were continuing to search a flat in Withington following an arrest made on Wednesday night. A controlled explosion was carried out at a Moss Side address in the early hours of Thursday morning.