Package found at Old Trafford was ‘training device’

The suspicious package that caused Manchester United’s final Premier League game of the season to be abandoned was a dummy device that was left at Old Trafford by mistake after a training exercise, according to the Daily Mail.

20,000 fans sitting in the Stretford End and the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand were evacuated about half an hour before kick-off after the device was found in one of the toilets in the north-west quadrant.

Eventually, at about 3.20pm, the rest of the stadium was evacuated by stewards and police, with the match eventually called off after United consulted with police and the Football Association in regards to the situation.

An army bomb disposal unit was called in and a controlled explosion to neutralise the device, which was a mobile phone strapped to a pipe, happened at 4.45pm.

Greater Manchester Police has now determined that while the device was ‘incredibly lifelike’, it was not a viable bomb and it has turned out that it was left behind by a private security company carrying out a training exercise at Old Trafford.

In a statement given to the Mail, GMP assistant constable John O’Hare said:

I am grateful to the Manchester United and Bournemouth supporters for their support and assistance today.

Following today’s controlled explosion, we have since found out that the item was a training device which had accidentally been left by a private company following a training exercise involving explosive search dogs.

Whilst this item did not turn out to be a viable explosive, on appearance this device was as real as could be and the decision to evacuate the stadium was the right thing to do until we could be sure that people were not at risk.

‘Everyone remained calm, followed instructions, and worked with officers and stewards to ensure that a safe evacuation was quickly completed. Those present today were a credit to the football family and their actions should be recognised.

I would also like to thank all those involved in the operation today for such a professional response, which includes police officers, stewards, MUFC staff, media representatives and commentators and the Bomb Disposal Team.

The match has been rearranged and will now take place on Tuesday night at 8pm.