Suspicious package blown up by bomb squad

The package was found in the car park of a training centre on Temple Road, off Sheffield Road, close to the Templeborough pub at around 9am yesterday.

Johnathon Breckin, aged 28 of Bramley, Rotherham found the package and alerted police.

He said: “I dropped my mum off at work in the morning and pulled into the car park to make a phone call. As I turned the car around I spotted a blue sports holdall near a wall.

“It had wires coming out of it and what looked like an iPhone cable. There were other bags in there with chemical symbols on along with bits of metal.

“It panicked me a bit to be honest. I thought it looked odd and I called someone who worked nearby and they had a look and I rang the police not long after.”

Police called to the scene sealed off the area and evacuated local businesses.

Hundreds of Kier workers at a conference at Magna were among those led away from the area.

Other firms were advised not to allow workers to leave buildings until the explosion had been carried out.

A controlled explosion was carried out by an army bomb squad from Chester.

Phil Coley, director of Duo Call Communications, which is close to the police cordon, said during the incident: “They are taking this extremely seriously.

“I suppose it could be a bag that somebody has left by mistake, but they have to take it seriously. They evacuated our building because of how close we are to where the package has been found.

“There were two or three police cars at first but then loads arrived and they were turning cars away from the area.”

A police spokeswoman said: “A cordon was in place on Temple Road, Rotherham, after police received reports of a possible suspicious package.

“The site and surrounding areas were secured and police liaised with the explosive ordinance disposal unit.”