Man arrested on suspicion of 'bomb hoax' after evacuation of Queensgate Shopping centre and bus station

Police confirmed that they have arrested a man in his 60s on suspicion of a bomb hoax at Queensgate in Peterborough city centre on Wednesday morning (November 8).

He remains in custody at Thorpe Wood Police Station.

Police evacuated the centre as a precaution to the potential security threat earlier in the day.

All staff were permitted to return just before 12:45pm with the centre reopening at just gone 1pm.

Staff and shoppers inside the centre and in adjoining units along Westgate and Long Causeway were evacuated at just before 11am. Buses were also prevented from getting to the bus station.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “We were contacted by a store manager within Queensgate Shopping Centre at about 9.30am this morning (Wednesday) reporting contact to their head office yesterday (Tuesday) about a security threat to their store today.

“A decision was made by Queensgate security at about 10.45am this morning to evacuate the centre and bus station as a precaution.

“Our officers have been at the centre to assist security staff with the evacuation and work is ongoing to establish further detail about the threat and anyone involved.”

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