Festival Place: Hampshire shopping centre evacuated and 100m cordon set up after 'suspicious' package found

A BUSTLING Hampshire shopping centre has been evacuated after police found a ‘suspicious' package.
ron Melton
By ron Melton
Published 7th Feb 2020, 17:17 BST
Updated 7th Feb 2020, 17:27 BST
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The item has been discovered at Festival Place in Basingstoke, which is home to stores including Zara, Debenhams, Next, HMV and Apple.

Basingstoke police tweeted: ‘You may see a larger police presence in Festival Place this afternoon.

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‘Officers have put in place a 100-metre cordon after what is believed to be a suspicious package was found in a toilet.

‘Please listen to instructions from officers at the scene.'

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A salon based in Festival Place, Truly Scrumptious, said it had to close because of a ‘bomb scare’.

It tweeted: ‘We have had to close the Basingstoke salon due to a bomb scare in Festival Place.

‘The police have told us to evacuate the building.

‘Fingers crossed we’ll be open tomorrow.'

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Related topics:HampshireAppleDebenhams

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