Menu

Fishergate bomb scare: Shopping centre closed by police as device goes off in a bin

Posted on - 17th December, 2015 - 11:26am | Author - | Posted in - Crime, Preston City Centre, Preston News
Police cars at the top of Butler Street

Police cars at the top of Butler Street

Preston Police say they do not know when the Fishergate Shopping Centre in Preston will reopen.

Advertisement

A suspicious device was found in the shopping centre on Thursday morning, understood to have been in a bin.

Advertisements
Preston Weekender advert

The device has gone off but police say it has not caused damage or injuries.

Update: Device went off in shopping centre toilet

Police officers are patrolling the entrances to the centre and stopping shoppers and staff entering.

Advertisements
Police outside the Fishergate Shopping Centre on Thursday

Police outside the Fishergate Shopping Centre on Thursday

A police spokesman said: “The safety of the public is our top priority and so the Fishergate Centre has been evacuated as a precaution and is currently closed. The rest of Preston town centre remains open for business.

“Our colleagues from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) have been called to assist us with our inquiries and to help in the disposal of the device.”

Police down Butler Street

Police down Butler Street

The owner of Mr Potato sandwich bar said she arrived at work just after 9am to find throngs of people out on the streets.

The management of Fishergate Shopping Centre had decided to evacuate as a precaution.

Police are stopping anyone accessing Butler Street and say anyone needing to access the Fishergate or railway station car parks should walk round via Chapel Street and Winckley Square.

Advertisements
barton manor gym

An EOD Squad is stationed in Butler Street on the railway station side of the shopping centre.

It is understood a person is also trapped in a lift in the shopping centre, with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service working to free them.

The shopping centre has been closed since shortly after 9am.

Were you in the centre? Let us know in the comments below or email contactus@blogpreston.co.uk

Share
Advertisements
caritas fostering advert
Preston in pictures Preston Bus 207 PO56 JDX (Scania N94UB / East Lancs Esteem)24.03.24 - Penwortham [Church of St Mary] 240323JPGDSC_7658 - Bus stationDSC_7676 - Miller ArcadeDSC_7681 - former Post Office, cenotaph and Town HallDSC_7682 - Central Methodist church, Lune StreetDSC_7668 - Fish (aka Box) MarketDSC_7672 - Miller Arcade View more Advertisement Subscribe to the newsletter

Sign up below to receive Blog Preston's email newsletter. It wings its way into inboxes every Sunday and Wednesday rounding up our top stories and more.

Advertisement News by location

Find news by location, select an area of your choice to be kept up to date with the latest goings on.

The Preston Guide

Discover local businesses and services near you.

    Advertisements
Advertisement Categories

Find news by category, select an category of your choice to be kept up to date with the latest goings on.

Blog Preston email updates

Receive our digest of the biggest and best stories every Sunday to your email inbox

We respect your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time from our emails