Man Utd v Bournemouth abandoned: Old Trafford evacuated after bomb scare
Old Trafford Code Red evacuation was sparked by ‘mobile phone wired to pipes in toilets’: Final match of season is abandoned moments before kickoff after discovery of suspect package.
Manchester United’s final-day clash with Bournemouth has been postponed after Old Trafford was evacuated because a suspect mobile phone was discovered.
The Premier League game was scheduled to kick-off at 3pm and had been pushed back to 3.45pm. But now officials have announced that the match has been called off.
MailOnline reorted that the device consisted of a mobile phone, attached to pipes. A Police Search Adviser, trained in identifying suspect packages, was called to the scene to carry out an initial check.
The adviser told officials that the device could be viable and warranted further examination. As a result, the bomb squad were called and the match was abandoned. A source said: ‘If it is a hoax, it is a very good one.’
The device is not thought to be of a size big enough to put players in the south stand under threat, and the decision was made to keep them there until supporters left the stadium and surrounding area.
Police told fans to stay away as detectives and sniffer dogs flood the stadium as they carry out their investigation.
A suspect package was identified in the north-west corner of the ground – with a bomb squad called.
Ordnance experts are needed to inspect the mobile phone and may need to carry out a controlled explosion.
Police and sniffer dogs were in the ground, which has an almost 76,000 capacity, after they were told about the package.
Stewards ushered around 20,000 from The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand and the Stretford End when the warning was announced around 30 minutes before kick off.
At around 3.20pm the remaining fans from all the stands began to filter out of the ground – with the stadium’s PA system informing supporters of the latest information.
A bomb disposal vehicle arrives at the stadium during the evacuation of the football match between Manchester and Bournemouth
Bomb experts are needed to investigate what is thought to be a suspect mobile phone device which is inside the ground
The Sky Sports team which was working inside the ground were also told to leave and had to broadcast some of the programme outside
A team of sniffer dogs were sent round the stadium hunting for clues that would help detectives in their investigation at the ground
Sniffer dogs search the West Stand after stands were evacuated before the football between Manchester United and Bournemouth
At around 3.20pm the remaining fans from all the stands began to filter out of the ground – with the stadium’s PA system informing supporters of the latest information
A bag is searched in the stands prior to the match being abandoned at Old Trafford which has a capacity for almost 76,000 people
Police and sniffer dogs were in the ground after they were told about the package which could be a mobile phone device
A suspect package was identified in the north-west corner of the ground, according to reports. Police and sniffer dogs are investigating .
Fans outside Old Trafford after the game was called off because of a suspicious package found in the ground
Old Trafford was evacuated on Sunday minutes before kick-off due to a security alert when officials discovered a suspicious package
