[Express] A BOMB squad flocked to Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester following reports of a second suspicious package found in the major city today.Police cordoned off the area with blue tape and scene guards are urging the public not to approach the Gardens while the package is being dealt with by professionals. The cordon covers McDonalds, Piccadilly Gardens, and part of a tram station, the Manchester Evening News reports. A man, 26, has been detained by police who say another suspicious package was found in a Manchester library today.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the incident could be related to the evacuation of Oldham Library, which was also evacuated due to a suspicious package being found there also.
In the latest police update, GMP said: “The suspicious package in Piccadilly Gardens is not believed to be a viable device.
| The Daily Mail reports: |
The 26-year-old man was found with items including a 'bladed article', and remains in police custody as cordons are lifted at the site of three suspicious packages. One was found at Oldham Library in the north-west of the city, while two others were found in Piccadilly Gardens.
Police have been unwilling to confirm what was inside them, instead saying they were 'non-viable' and telling MailOnline they won't know for some time. It is therefore unclear whether the devices were a fake bomb, a badly made bomb or just an innocent rucksack. Police have said the incidents are believed to be connected.
| It will be interesting to discover whether this was a jihadi, a nutter, or someone having a little too much fun. |