Man held after packages alert
7:54am Tuesday 1st December 2009 in Your Town
A MAN has been arrested after a number of suspicious packages were found in the Atherton area.
The 46-year-old man was held following the discovery of a fourth suspected device yesterday — after three devices found on Sunday were made safe by bomb disposal experts.
The fourth package was found near the junction of West Bank Street and Tyldesley Road shortly before 9.55am on Monday.
A concerned passer-by alerted police, who called in bomb disposal experts to make the area safe.
It meant dozens of children at nearby Hindsford Community Link nursery in Lodge Lane had to be kept inside.
Nursery manager Teresa Hughes said: “A few parents were understandably concerned and came to collect their children early.
“We have been keeping calm and it has been a normal day as far as the children are concerned.”
Fred Longworth High School, in Printshop Lane, was also affected.
Headteacher Janet Garretts said: “Our Year 11 pupils would normally be allowed to leave the school at lunch, but we kept them in. As ever with our pupils, they have responded maturely.”
All 1,300 pupils were allowed home on time at the end of the school day.
Road closures were lifted after that device was made safe.
The alert came after three packages were found on Sunday behind the Lidl supermarket in Tyldesley Road, on a fence in West Bank Street and in the Focus DIY store car park in West Bank Street.
Supt John McNeil, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “We are treating this very seriously and have already acted swiftly to make an arrest.
“While I understand the concerns of the community, I want to reassure them that their safety is my main concern.
“I appreciate the disruption this has caused may be a nuisance for some, but we are doing all we can.”
The suspect is being held in custody for questioning, police said.
Police are not linking the four incidents to the discovery of a device strapped to a phone box in New Street, Blackrod, on October 26. It was blown up in a controlled explosion.
