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Bomb alert in Worcester city centre

12:09pm Tuesday 2nd March 2010 in


A CONTROLLED explosion has been carried out on a suspect package found in a city centre building.

A loud bang was heard from inside County House on St Mary's Street, Worcester, shortly after bomb disposal experts arrived. Police have since confirmed that the procedure was carried out.

Emergency crews were called at 11.08am after a 'suspect package' was discovered in the building.

A 100-metre cordon was put in place and police and fire officers evactuated both County House and the surrounding buildings, including Worcester Crown Court.

West Mercia Police confirmed that "specialist teams" were dealing with the incident.

St Mary's Street and Sansome Walk are still closed to the general public and traffic is being diverted away from the area.

Neil Pigott, Group Manager Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Fire Crews were on standby to deal with the potential consequences of any explosion.

"Because of the large densely populated area that needed to be evacuated fire crews assisted police in maintaining a safe cordon to ensure the public were protected from potential harm.”

• See tomorrow's Worcester News for the full story.

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Comments(29)

MrStJohns says...
12:51pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Last time this happened wasn’t it someone’s lunch box?! Better to be safe than sorry though.

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molecat says...
1:06pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Once again the police are acting like idiots. They've brought the city centre to a standstill no doubt, as MrStJohns says, for someones' lunchbox! Al Qaeda ain't going to blow up an office building in Worcester. If they want someone to go and open the box for them I'd be more than happy to do it. There are not terrorists on every corner - don't believe the hype!

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brooksider says...
1:17pm Tue 2 Mar 10

molecat wrote:
Once again the police are acting like idiots. They've brought the city centre to a standstill no doubt, as MrStJohns says, for someones' lunchbox! Al Qaeda ain't going to blow up an office building in Worcester. If they want someone to go and open the box for them I'd be more than happy to do it. There are not terrorists on every corner - don't believe the hype!
You don't have to belong to Al Qaeda or be a terrorist to hold a grudge against someone.
There are plenty of examples of people with grudges planting home-made devices designed to injure or destory.
The police would not act unless they had reason.

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CJH says...
1:22pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Molecat, the police are not 'acting like idiots'. If it's been reported to them they have a duty to investigate. You'd probably be the first to complain if it did turn out to be a bomb and the police had ignored it. And yes, I know it's very unlikely to be terrorists, but the 'idiots' are not the police.

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Tulstar says...
1:22pm Tue 2 Mar 10

brooksider, you beat me to it!...molecat - why don't you put yourself in the Police's situation before criticising them..? What's to say that someone hasn't put a device there because they've got a major issue with something and they want to cause injury to people? The police have a duty to protect the public, and if they didn't take the action that they have taken so far, then they wouldn't be doing their job and people like you would be the first to cause hell if something serious were to happen and nothing was done about it. I don't believe for one minute that terrorists are everywhere, but it's not just terrorists who do things like this is it. And no, I'm not a member of the police force before you say anything.

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Bloke says...
1:23pm Tue 2 Mar 10

molecat wrote:
Once again the police are acting like idiots. They've brought the city centre to a standstill no doubt, as MrStJohns says, for someones' lunchbox! Al Qaeda ain't going to blow up an office building in Worcester. If they want someone to go and open the box for them I'd be more than happy to do it. There are not terrorists on every corner - don't believe the hype!
What a stupid comment to make. You're advocating complacency, yet you'll be among the first to whinge when one goes off and people die: "Where were the police?"
As brooksider says, terrorsist and nutters with a job-lot of fertilizer don't have to be on Al Qaeda's books.

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Tulstar says...
1:24pm Tue 2 Mar 10

I think we can all agree on the fact that molecat is a bit of a tool.

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CJH says...
1:27pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Tulstar wrote:
I think we can all agree on the fact that molecat is a bit of a tool.
I don't think I've ever seen so many comments disagreeing with someone so quickly! Molecat must be so proud...

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Tulstar says...
1:28pm Tue 2 Mar 10

CJH - I think it has to be some kind of record! Both you and Brooksider managed to comment in the time it took me to quickly type my first one!

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MrStJohns says...
1:28pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Sorry molecat, I certainly wasn’t saying that the police are idiots or acting unreasonably, I was merely saying last time a suspected bomb was found it was indeed a lunch box, however as I stated ‘better to be safe than sorry’.

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Logik says...
1:38pm Tue 2 Mar 10

MrStJohns wrote:
Sorry molecat, I certainly wasn’t saying that the police are idiots or acting unreasonably, I was merely saying last time a suspected bomb was found it was indeed a lunch box, however as I stated ‘better to be safe than sorry’.
I am reminded of an incident some considerable years ago whilst working on a job at the ordnance depot in Tewksbury, when there was a bomb scare.

Everyone was evacuated to a safe distance as a box was seen under a car.

The package turned out to be an outside contractors lunch box who, in the height of summer, was merely attempting to keep his sandwiches cool. Luckily for him they didn't blow them up.

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MrStJohns says...
1:49pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Well what was it then, have we got spam all over the walls or was it something more sinister and dangerous?

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daffy says...
1:50pm Tue 2 Mar 10

definitely better to be safe than sorry. if police did nothing and it was a bomb, the fatalied relations would soon be asking why and for compensation which should not be given. talking about complacency - could someone tell me why when the crowngate is evacuated that people stay in the bus station even with the voice over saying please evacuate.

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molecat says...
1:54pm Tue 2 Mar 10

In the same way the police acted like idiots when they shut off Deansway a few weeks ago when someone was spotted up St Andrew's Spire; in the same way they acted like idiots when on 8th July 2007 they shut off Sansome Walk when someone spotted a cardboard box; in the same way they acted like idiots when they shut off the bridge when some daft git was threatening to jump into the river because his housing association hadn't sorted his house out; in the sameway they acting like idiots recently by sending hoards of officers with riot gear when a few kids gathered on a playing fiels in Diglis; they are acting like idiots now.
The police have a duty to respond. They do not have a duty to over-react and once again they are acting like idiots by over-reacting. There ain't a bomb. They know it as well as the rest of us sane people.

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jb says...
2:04pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Ditto to all the above. I've just driven out of the city centre, traffic wasn't too bad but when I drove along Rainbow Hill at the junction with Lansdowne Road I did feel sorry for the CSO stood there blocking the road...with his bicycle!. Bless him, he could've done with a marked car giving him a hand.

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Tulstar says...
2:07pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Molecat - What the hell do you expect them to do when there's the POSSIBILITY that there actually is a bomb..? I don't care about what they've done before - they have procedures which they have to follow in a situation like this to ensure that, should the worst come to the worst, then incidents and injuries are kept to an absolute minimum. There may only be the slightest chance that it's anything more than a forgotten briefcase, or someone's lunchbox, but I'm in the 'better safe than sorry' boat I'm afraid...
And I particularly like the way you seem to refer to the police as anything less than sane, just because of the way they've reacted to the incident... Obviously if you were in charge of the whole operation then everything would be business as usual and heaven help you if the s**t hits the fan and the threat turned out to be real. Idiot!

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TimmyM says...
2:19pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Molecat, you really ought to tell this to the families of the London bombers, Brighton bombers etc., etc.
Like it or not we are living in a world with nutters who have nothing better to do than sit in kitchens and sheds making devices intended to kill law abiding people going about their everyday business. If the police were not trained to take these things seriously and follow a laid down procedure, you could have far more chaos and damage to contend with. Sorry, but it is you, Molecat, who is over reacting, because you feel inconvenienced by this, not the police.

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Tulstar says...
3:25pm Tue 2 Mar 10

TimmyM wrote:
Molecat, you really ought to tell this to the families of the London bombers, Brighton bombers etc., etc.
Like it or not we are living in a world with nutters who have nothing better to do than sit in kitchens and sheds making devices intended to kill law abiding people going about their everyday business. If the police were not trained to take these things seriously and follow a laid down procedure, you could have far more chaos and damage to contend with. Sorry, but it is you, Molecat, who is over reacting, because you feel inconvenienced by this, not the police.
Well said.
Unfortunately, some people are never satisfied and I'm sure Molecat would be the first to sue the police if he was walking past and had his leg blown off because the police hadn't taken the situation seriously.

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molecat says...
3:36pm Tue 2 Mar 10

TimmyM wrote:
Molecat, you really ought to tell this to the families of the London bombers, Brighton bombers etc., etc. Like it or not we are living in a world with nutters who have nothing better to do than sit in kitchens and sheds making devices intended to kill law abiding people going about their everyday business. If the police were not trained to take these things seriously and follow a laid down procedure, you could have far more chaos and damage to contend with. Sorry, but it is you, Molecat, who is over reacting, because you feel inconvenienced by this, not the police.
TimmyM, comparing an over-reaction by the police to a mislaid briefcase (or whatever this will undoubtedly turn out to be) in an office in St Mary's Street Worcester to suicide bombers or the IRA's attempt to murder the government exactly illustrates what I'm talking about. There is no sense of proportion or an actual assessment of risk. The chance of this being a bomb is so small that it only requires a small amount of effort to deal with it. There have no doubt been genuine cases for the police to deal with today, but instead of responding to these genuine cases, most of the local force have been stood around twiddling their thumbs and unable to respond. Not assessing genuine risk is stupid. There will probably be further attacks on targets like London in the future, these won't ever be prevented by the police over-reacting every time someone leaves something lying around; they will only be prevented when we learn that imposing our culture and philosophies on other countries is a grave mistake.
Over-reacting is the greatest danger. It creates fear and paranoia - clearly from the postings on here many people have little idea of genuine risk and believe most of the tabloid tosh spouted by the government on security. If risk is not assessed then the police and others in authority over-react. In simple terms - nervous looking young Muslim man carrying a rucksack on a London Tube - worth checking out; abandoned bag in a small Worcester office - I think we can safely say it probably contains some cheese sandwiches and a copy of the Daily Mail.
If you want to know what over-reacting can lead to then try asking the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian guy the Met shot on the London Underground. I'm sure they have an opinion on the matter.

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Tulstar says...
3:57pm Tue 2 Mar 10

I don't think that the people posting on here have "little idea of genuine risk" at all molecat.
.
I think the majority of people realise that there was very little chance that whatever it was today was anything serious, but I think they can also appreciate that the Police have to treat a threat, however small and improbable it may seem, as exactly that - a threat.
.
Personally I think that it's a good thing that they reacted the way they did. I'd much rather be the officer in charge and be ridiculed by people like you on the odd occasion that something like this happens, than to run the risk (however small it may be) that something much more serious could happen in future and it's not dealt with because someone deemed it to be of little or no threat to anyone and as a result of this, didn't bother to police it properly.

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Peter WR5 says...
4:02pm Tue 2 Mar 10

When I lived in Madrid, someone left his brief case on the pavement outside our apartment. Along came the police and demolished the rather expensive-looking bag; a few papers flutters around; and, we applauded the police from our windows. Had the sun gone to our heads? Did we think they were performing for our benefit? Did we think they had better things to do? NO! NO! NO! Why? Because the week before, just round the corner, terrorists had blown to smithereens twelve Civil Guards, many neighbours seriously injured, buildings and businesses wrecked, lives turned on their heads.

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CJH says...
4:11pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Molecat is on the back foot here, and he knows it because of the response in the others comments. Headless chicken comes to mind. I would rather the police checked and I was inconvenienced. As would most sensible people I think.

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whywn? says...
6:32pm Tue 2 Mar 10

When reading the comments made regarding this issue the only time l would us the words pathetic or over-reacting would be to describe the comments and views of molecat.
I have only ever had good dealings with the Police and how they prioritise issues. I firstly hope that molecat doesn't have a real emergency and need help from the police! Woe betide them if they don't treat what he would deem an emergency as the same.
I feel that they should be praised for their work today, keeping the public safe being number one priority. If this was a bomb i'm sure that people like molecat would be the first to slate the police and say that they didn't do enough. I'm sure the people evacuated today would be glad to return home safe and well, instead of there being a real bomb and not returning home at all.
Secondly l hope that the Worcester News doesn't take molecat's letter as a sample of our views to be printed, that would be wrong.
In conclusion l have recently been on a training course concerning terriorst attacks. I was shocked and horrified to learn how close to home these attacks really are! Regarding the comment about De Menezes, l was always taught to do what the police told you! If you are running away from a bomb scene carrying a rucksack, fitting the description of one of the bombers and you are told to stand still numberous times but just sped up, as the police have a duty of care to serve and protect then that is what they need to do. People that slate the police usually have had bad experiences, what l say is abide by the law and you will receive the respect you deserve. In response to molecat's offer of being a sniffer dog! Perhaps someone should take him up on the offer!!!

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scottleecraig says...
11:03pm Tue 2 Mar 10

Molecat, have u heard the saying it is better to be safe than sorry. Thats all i need to say on that one. Get real.

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Brian Hunt says...
12:29am Wed 3 Mar 10

I feel that all will be revealed on this issue, and then we can all comment with knowledge unlike some of the postings so far.

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Malvern says...
2:38am Wed 3 Mar 10

whywn?, says... Sorry, have to correct you there. De Menezes was not running from a bomb scene, he had just left his house and it was just a normal day as far as he was concerned. You make it sound like he deserved to be executed.

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whywn? says...
9:51am Wed 3 Mar 10

Molecat, Do we feel silly today? After reading todays issue it is obvious that the police acted accordingly. There was a tip off call to say that there was an explosive device sent to the address. Would you rather leave things like this to chance? No didn't think so.
Well done to the police in their speedy response and concern for public safety l say.

Also sorry to MALVERN l didn't mean to sound that way, l got carried away at people slating the police and their actions. I believe that they do a great job and it is never recognised. It is only the protrayed negative actions of the police that make the head lines. People seem so quick to push the negativity towards the police but they are the first to be called when these people need them.

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pafcscotty says...
11:33pm Wed 3 Mar 10

I think Molecat is missing the point. It COULD have been a bomb. COULD have - means they have to act.

As for the comment about who would bomb Worcester - well tell me, who would set off a firebomb the House of Fraser in Plymouth? No-one? Well look at http://nosher.net/im
ages/1980s/1988-Plym
outhPreChristmas/fc1
2-m.jpg

the point is, Molecat - bombs can be set off anywhere and the police have to treat every threat as a worse-case scenario!

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Malvern says...
3:40pm Thu 4 Mar 10

whywn? No problem, I just didn't want people getting the wrong idea about a tragic incident like that :) He was just a poor innocent in the wrong place at wrong time.

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