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Homes evacuated after 'unidentified liquid' found in East Sussex Bomb squad detonates mystery liquid found in Eastbourne house
(about 3 hours later)
About 160 homes are being evacuated after a "bottle of unidentified liquid" was found in a house, police have said. Police said about 160 homes were evacuated in Eastbourne on Tuesday
An Explosive Ordnance Disposal team attended Hyde Road in Eastbourne after the liquid was discovered at a property at about 17:30 BST on Monday. The bomb squad has carried out a controlled explosion of an unidentified liquid found at a house in East Sussex.
A local councillor said the substance was "potentially dangerous", but Sussex Police said there was no "immediate risk to residents". Police attended Hyde Road in Eastbourne alongside Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams on Monday evening after the item was found by contractors during a house clearance.
The force said the incident was not currently being treated as terror-related. About 160 properties were evacuated earlier to "allow for the safe disposal" of the substance, but residents have now started to return.
Properties in Hyde Road, Camden Road, Calverley Road, West Terrace, Bath Road, and parts of Grove Road and York Road were being evacuated and a 85m (279ft) cordon was being put in place. Ch Insp Simon Yates said the item had been safely destroyed, no further items had been found and the force was not treating the incident as terror-related.
Officers said the evacuation was being completed "safely and effectively during daylight hours" to minimise the impact on local residents. The bomb squad has now left the scene after a controlled explosion
Once the safety cordon is in place, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team will manage the safe disposal of the item, Sussex Police said. Properties on Hyde Road, Camden Road, Calverley Road, West Terrace, Bath Road, and parts of Grove Road and York Road were evacuated following the discovery.
Ch Insp Simon Yates said it was not believed to be linked to any other incidents in the area. An 85 m (279 ft) cordon was put in place by officers, though roads have since reopened.
Officers said the evacuation was completed "safely and effectively during daylight hours" to minimise the impact on local residents.
Ch Insp Yates said: "Public safety will always be our number one priority, and it was important that we took the necessary precautions that we did to ensure the safety of everyone in the vicinity.
"The item has been safely destroyed and disposed of and no further items of concern have been found inside the property.
"We are not treating this as terror-related and it is not believed to be linked to any other incidents in the area."
He thanked residents and the wider community for their "patience and understanding".
'We were none the wiser'
Helen Bailey-Foster, who lives nearby with her pregnant daughter, told BBC Radio Sussex the situation was "a bit nerve-wracking".Helen Bailey-Foster, who lives nearby with her pregnant daughter, told BBC Radio Sussex the situation was "a bit nerve-wracking".
After her road was cordoned off last night, she said she was not aware of what was happening until looking at Facebook.After her road was cordoned off last night, she said she was not aware of what was happening until looking at Facebook.
"We were none the wiser," she continued. "Nobody said anything.""We were none the wiser," she continued. "Nobody said anything."
"All sorts of things start going through your brain.""All sorts of things start going through your brain."
Ms Bailey-Foster said she was "hoping and quietly confident" that the situation would be resolved "really quickly", though she was unsure of when she could return home. Bomb disposal in Eastbourne
Police said their priority was public safety Eastbourne Borough Council said it had opened a rest centre accommodation at the Town Hall in Grove Road for affected residents.
Eastbourne Borough Council said that council officers were arranging rest centre accommodation for affected residents if required. Raj Kasippillai, who owns Boss Man Booze, said the closure of Grove Road on Monday evening had hit his business financially.
Councillor Robert Smart told BBC Radio Sussex that "we will no doubt learn more" about the incident and the nature of the substance, which he called "potentially dangerous". "No customers were coming," he told BBC Radio Sussex. "I lost so much money."
He added that "everybody was going about their business as usual" on Grove Road and that traffic was flowing as normal. Live: Bomb squad detonates mystery liquid in Eastbourne
Police said they were evacuating the area as a precaution Sussex Police's Det Supt Jon Robeson said a number of uniformed officers were present on Tuesday morning to assist with the evacuation and offer further advice.
Sussex Police's Det Supt Jon Robeson said a number of uniformed officers would be present on Tuesday morning to assist with the evacuation and offer further advice. He said public safety was a "priority" for the force as it dealt with the incident.
"We appreciate the support of residents and the wider community who will be affected by the necessary precautionary actions we need to take, and hopefully they will be able to swiftly return to their homes," he added. The Eastbourne Open tennis tournament continued as planned in Devonshire Park despite the nearby evacuation.
It comes after 80 homes were evacuated in St Leonards in March, after more than 500 canisters of chemicals were found inside a building. The incident came after 80 homes were evacuated in St Leonards in March, after more than 500 canisters of chemicals were found inside a building.
Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.