Police hold pair on suspicion of shop bomb hoax

TWO men were arrested on suspicion of placing a hoax bomb with intent after police were called to a report of a suspicious package outside a shop.

- NICOLE GOODWIN

A number of residents were evacuated from their homes yesterday morning after police and the bomb squad were called to Durham Road in Birtley, Gateshead, shortly after 8.20am.

A large police cordon was put in place as the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team carried out enquiries into the package outside the Nisa shop, where a remote-controlled bomb disposal robot was used to carry out a controlled explosion. The cordon was later removed and the area was fully reopened.