Kingston Crescent: Police reveal contents of "suspicious package" in Portsmouth as bomb disposal team called

Emergency personnel scrambled to the scene earlier this morning, setting up a cordon around Kingston Crescent surgery. Bomb disposal teams had to be deployed, with much of the area blocked off to the public.

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokeswoman said officers were called to the scene at 10.19am. Portsmouth Police said the situation has been dealt with after the contents were deemed as being no threat to the public. They said: "Earlier today we closed parts of Kingston Crescent, Portsmouth after concerns were raised about a suspicious package.

"Specialist officers were deployed along with other emergency services and a cordon was put in place. Initial inspection of the package by an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team showed that it contained batteries and posed no threat to public safety. Cordons have now been lifted and roads re-opened. Thank you for your patience while we dealt with this incident."

Staff at the nearby Aldi supermarket had to be evacuated from the building while police operated at the scene. Traffic is moving freely again after the cordons were lifted.