More than 150 homes evacuated for controlled explosion in seaside town

A controlled explosion has been carried out and around 160 homes evacuated, after bomb disposal experts were deployed to a house in Eastbourne.

Sussex Police said they were called at 5.27pm on Monday after contractors found a bottle containing an unknown liquid during a house clearance. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team were deployed to Hyde Road, a largely residential area with terraced properties, and a decision was made to evacuate people from their homes in nearby streets on Tuesday morning.

In a statement, the force said: "EOD teams have now carried out a controlled explosion of the item and a further search of the property where it was found, and are satisfied there is no ongoing risk to the public. "As a result, the cordon is being lifted and residents in affected properties will be able to return to their homes.

The roads that had closed have also now reopened." Eastbourne Borough Council had set up a rest centre at the town hall for people required to evacuate their homes. Chief Inspector Simon Yates from Sussex Police said: "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." Police had evacuated the area around Hyde Road, including Camden Road, Calverley Road, West Terrace, Bath Road, and parts of Grove Road and York Road. An 85m (278ft) cordon was put in place as a precaution, while bomb disposal teams carried out a controlled explosion.

Ch Insp Simon Yates added: "A search of the property where the bottle was found has been completed and no other items of concern have been identified. "This incident is currently not being treated as terror-related and is not believed to be linked to any other incidents in the area," the police statement said.

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