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

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.

‘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.'

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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