Resident's shock after being evacuated over 'explosive' discovery

A RESIDENT has shared her shock after discovering that she was evacuated from her home due to a report of a homemade explosive in the area.

- NICOLE GOODWIN

Lesley spent the night at her daughter's house after being asked to vacate her South Shields home during a police incident on Tuesday afternoon.

Yesterday, Northumbria Police confirmed that officers were called to an industrial site in the Portberry Street area following a report of suspicious activity.

The Force added that a small homemade explosive device was believed to be inside a storage container.

A man in his 30s has now been arrested on suspicion of making explosives with the intent to endanger life. He remains in police custody.

"That's very scary," said Lesley, who originally thought she may have been asked to evacuate due to a leak at the industrial estate.

She added: "I thought it might have been an environmental problem. All that was going through my mind was I better go. I was looking around the street and it all seemed fairly quiet."