Evacuation following dynamite scare

A police station has been evacuated after a member of the public handed in a stick of dynamite.

The person walked into Durranhill Police Station in Carlisle, Cumbria, with what officers suspected to be a stick of the explosive at 3.15pm on Friday.

The building was cleared as a precaution and roads around the station closed while the situation was assessed, police said.

A spokeswoman for Cumbria Police said: "The army explosive disposal team from Catterick arrived at 5.20pm and determined the device was inert and posed no risk.

"During this incident the policing service to the local area remained unaffected despite the evacuation. Police would like to thank the local community for their patience."

Officers have since been allowed back into station and the roads surrounding the area were reopened following the incident.

Police said the dynamite was found amongst the possessions of a recently deceased man who had a firearms and explosive licence.

It was handed to the police as a safety measure.