"Suspicious item discovered at Old Trafford was training device"

[dutchman]

A suspicious item discovered at Old Trafford on Sunday was a training device, police have confirmed.



The Premier League match between Manchester United and Bournemouth was called off after a suspect package was found shortly before kick-off and a controlled explosion carried out.

Police said the item had "accidentally been left by a private company following a training exercise".

The match has been rearranged for Tuesday at 20:00 BST.

A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) statement read: "Shortly before today's planned football fixture, staff from the Manchester United ground alerted police to a suspicious item that had been found in the toilets within the North West Quadrant, between the Sir Alex Ferguson stand and the Stretford End.

"Police quickly attended and explosive experts were called in to assess the item, which has been described as an incredibly realistic-looking explosive device."

The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand and the Stretford End were evacuated and sniffer dogs brought in.

Kick-off was delayed initially and shortly afterwards the match was abandoned on police advice.

A bomb disposal team carried out the explosion at about 16:30 BST.

Assistant chief constable John O'Hare said: "I am grateful to the Manchester United and Bournemouth supporters for their support and assistance today.

"Following today's controlled explosion, we have since found out that the item was a training device which had accidentally been left by a private company following a training exercise involving explosive search dogs.

"While this item did not turn out to be a viable explosive, on appearance this device was as real as could be, and the decision to evacuate the stadium was the right thing to do, until we could be sure that people were not at risk."

[rebbonk]

So they don't count these 'devices' in and out then? What kind of a cowboy outfit are they?

[dutchman]

'I'm just fixing my roof while I've still got one' jokes security boss following Old Trafford fake bomb blunder



The boss of one of the security firms involved in the fake bomb fiasco at Old Trafford has described it as "a very unfortunate situation".

It is understood Deacons Canines, a specialist sniffer dog team, had been running a training exercise with Security Search Management and Solutions Ltd, a counter-terrorism training firm, on Wednesday.

But one of the dummies was left taped to a toilet and only discovered hours before 75,000 fans were due to watch the final Premier League match of the season.

Security Search is run by a former Met Police counter terror officer Chris Reid.

Speaking to reporters outside his home in Biggin Hill, Kent, today, Mr Reid said: "It is a very unfortunate situation and the consequences obviously were that a lot of people were inconvenienced.

"Fortunately everybody was fine which is the most important thing."

He said he would like to say more about the "security situation" but that he is waiting on Manchester United to contact him.

He added: "But I'm waiting for them to get back to me. I'm just fixing my roof while I've still got one. I can't say anything.

Reid was also responsible for the G4S security fiasco at the London Olympics!

[dutchman]

So they don't count these 'devices' in and out then?

Apparently he did:

Mr Reid told reporters on Monday that after the exercise for five dog handlers he had checked a number of fake items into his bag, having previously recorded their position on a "trapping sheet".

He said: "Unfortunately an item that was placed in the male WC was not recovered, as I had a similar item that I had not used. I saw this and made the mistake in thinking that the item in the WC had been brought back when found by the attendees as had other items I had checked into the bag.

"This item concerned was a mock-up of a pipe bomb, it was approx eight inches long, brass fittings at each end, a length of black flexible lead and a mobile phone taped to the pipe with black tape.

"The item had a small white label on it which said: 'training aid if found contact ssms and my telephone number'."

He said he had been at home when events involved and watched it on television.

But it didn't occur to him to phone the club and tell them it was a mistake?