BOMB disposal experts were called in and two Worcester streets cordoned off after the discovery of what was believed to be bomb-making equipment in a city home.

Holly Mount Road and Teme Road were sealed off for five hours yesterday while the Royal Logistics Corps bomb squad moved into two houses.

Police arrived on the Tolladine estate at 2pm after a call to the emergency services.

Officers first sealed off Holly Mount Road at its junction of Tolladine Road and Birch Avenue, while the bomb disposal team worked in one house.

They moved out at around 4.15pm and went to Teme Road, which was sealed off between its junctions with Avon Road and Dee Way.

People living nearby claim they were left in the dark about the emergency.

But householders were allowed through the cordons to reach their homes and advised to stay indoors. There was no evacuation of the area.

"We've not been told anything," Lorraine Morgan, of Avon Road, said at the scene. "We're very worried. We have enough problems with drugs without having any bombs.

"Things are always happening here. Nothing surprises us."

Neighbours claimed the two houses were connected with one family and said there were rumours that suspicious articles had been transported from one house to another.

"We heard that a woman went to her brother's house and found something, then took it back to her house before calling the police," said one, who did not want to be named.

"We heard there were two bombs, a detonator and a bottle of powder."

Police later confirmed that it was a major operation.

"It's stupid not being able to tell us at the time. When you see a bomb disposal van, you know there's something going on," said Jean Anderson, also of Avon Road.

"We were told to move right back because the force of any blast at the Holly Mount house would reach us."

Worcester police spokeswoman Vicki Davies said: "We recovered what's believed to be bomb-making equipment from one of the houses. They were explosive devices."

She added further examination was needed in order to identify them.

One man was currently helping police with enquiries as the Evening News went to press. Another had been released on police bail.