Part of Stockport was brought to a standstill as the 'bomb squad' spent hours outside the town's Jobcentre. Police had set up a 100m cordon around Heron House, on Wellington Street, after a suspicious package was found.
Nearby streets were taped off, including the usually bustling Wellington Road South, with traffic stopped from passing along the A6. A crowd had formed outside McDonald's, as people watched the bomb disposal unit carry out its work, while diners inside kept an eye on what was happening on the other side of the road.
Lewis Bates, who was among those watching, said: "I heard a few bangs - it was like two or three. That's when I thought 'that didn't sound too good'.
