MORE homes in Malvern have been evacuated after police found an ‘item of concern’ at a property on Langland Avenue.
Officers have put in a place a 50-metre cordon around the house and road closures are now in force.
Supt Kevin Purcell, policing commander for South Worcestershire, said; “Residents in neighbouring houses have been evacuated as a precaution and a scene guard has been put in place.
“We would like to reassure the community that we are not treating this as a terrorist incident and thank everyone for their patience and understanding.”
A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing an explosive substance following the explosion near Pound Bank Road at about 9.50pm last night (Monday).
Nobody was hurt and no property was damaged.
Supt Purcell added: “Throughout the night investigations have been ongoing to establish exactly what occurred and what level of threat there was to our communities.
“At this stage, I am able to confirm that the man arrested and the location are not connected to any terrorism related matters.
“The man remains in custody.
“While we are keeping an open mind, one of our lines of enquiry is that this was a case of misadventure albeit with a criminal element.
“Officers responded promptly to this incident to ensure the safety of local people.
“Initially we did not know what we were dealing with so we took every necessary precaution.
“The cordon has now been lifted and people have been allowed to return to their homes, however a scene guard remains in place.
“I’d like to thank the community for their vigilance and their patience and support while we managed the incident.”
