Holly Watt 

M1 motorway closure: no explosive element found in suspicious package

Bomb squad called out over object found under bridge near Milton Keynes, which led to closure of road in both directions
  
  


The M1 was closed in both directions for nine hours after a suspicious object was found under a motorway bridge during Tuesday morning’s rush hour.

A bomb disposal squad used a robot to investigate the object, which was found to have no explosive element.

Traffic was stationary for most of the day between junctions 14 and 15, with travellers playing football, rugby and frisbee on the deserted motorway.

“Investigation by the EOD [explosive ordnance disposal] can confirm there is no explosive element to the object found,” said Thames Valley police in a statement, almost seven hours after it was reported. Investigators are continuing a chemical analysis of the object to determine its make-up.

BBC footage showed the bomb disposal robot approaching what appeared to be a black plastic bag leaking a yellow liquid.

A special tool to cut through motorway barriers was eventually brought in to allow trapped motorists to U-turn and travel back down the motorway.

The bomb scare came two days after the UK terror threat level was reduced from critical to severe on Sunday following the Parsons Green attack last week.

Nine hours after the object was spotted, Ch Insp Mark Lewis, of the Thames Valley roads policing unit, said the M1 had reopened northbound but would remain closed southbound at junction 15.

“There is no evidence to suggest that this is a terrorist-related incident. The object does not contain an improvised explosive device and therefore there has been no controlled explosion,” Lewis said.

“However, the object contains a highly corrosive material which has leaked across lanes one and two, therefore the clear-up process will take a significant amount of time.”

Thousands of motorists were stuck in stationary traffic as the police investigated. Diversions were put in place in Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire.

Highways England tweeted that the “closures remain due to ongoing police-led incident-trapped traffic being released by being turned round – this will take time”.

Traffic on the northbound side of the motorway was cleared through Newport Pagnell services, while southbound traffic was turned around.

A Highways England spokesman said the incident was likely to take several hours to resolve, with 3 to 4 km of traffic trapped at a standstill and long delays elsewhere.

The package was found at about 7.30am. A journalist from BBC Look East filmed the arrival of the bomb disposal unit.

The former England cricketer James Taylor, who was stuck in the tailback, posted a video of a man skateboarding along the deserted motorway.

Other stranded motorists were photographed playing frisbee and football.

Other people were filmed walking down the hard shoulder, carrying suitcases.

After waiting for seven hours, one Twitter user started to search for cooking inspiration.

One person was photographed making paper doll chains.

And other people started sharing food and drink.

While some faced further complications.

 

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