Bomb squad shuts down Leeds city centre after reports of ‘suspicious package’

Bomb squad shuts down Leeds city centre and evacuates buildings after reports of ‘suspicious package’

  • Hundreds of workers were evacuated from Leeds City Centre this afternoon 
  • West Yorkshire Police received a report of a ‘suspicious package’ in the area
  • An evacuation of nearby buildings was carried out as a ‘precautionary measure’ 

Hundreds of workers have been evacuated from Leeds City Centre and roads were closed off after a ‘suspicious package’ was reported.

Bomb disposal teams have been called to the scene near Wellington Street and York Place following a call from a member of the public.

Police were going door to door and asking people to leave. An officer at the cordon said that it could be several hours before they are allowed to return.

But officers now say the outer cordons have now been taken down, with only one cordon still in place outside the affected building. 

West Yorkshire Police said: ‘We have received a report of a suspicious package at a building in the Queen Street area of Leeds City Centre.

‘EOD is attending to assess the situation but, as a precautionary measure, has advised an immediate evacuation of buildings in the immediate vicinity.’

Police are going door to door and asking people to leave. An officer at the cordon is telling people that it could be several hours before they are allowed to return

The bomb squad called out to Leeds after a suspicious package was discovered, bringing Leeds City Centre to a standstill

The bomb squad called out to Leeds after a suspicious package was discovered, bringing Leeds City Centre to a standstill

West Yorkshire Police said: 'We have received a report of a suspicious package at a building in the Queen Street area of Leeds City Centre'

West Yorkshire Police said: ‘We have received a report of a suspicious package at a building in the Queen Street area of Leeds City Centre’

Matt Naylor, 46, who works at HTC Architects on the corner of Britannia Street and York Place near the scene, said: ‘I saw the police at about 11.30am and an officer was cordoning off the street.

‘I opened the window and heard him say to a person on the pavement that there had been a suspicious package found.

‘It’s unnerving to be honest.’

His building is right on the boundary of the cordon, although his office has not been evacuated. 

Connor Hart, who works in one of the offices nearby, said: ‘We were told to leave our stuff and get out. A suspicious package has been found and our building manager told us to leave.’  

Officers have also cordoned off King Street and traffic is being diverted. 

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