Posted on 07/29/2003 12:13:56 AM PDT by miltonim
A DISCARDED chicken dinner was blown up last night amid fears it could be a bomb.
Bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion on a suspect package in a litter bin on the Mill Road railway bridge, Cambridge, at around 11pm.
Homes were evacuated, train services suspended and Mill Road closed after a member of the public reported a strange noise coming from the bin.
Police officers attended but were unable to ascertain what was making the "electrical" noise and called in the RAF Wittering bomb disposal team.
A 50m cordon was established around the area at 8.45pm, forcing train services between Cambridge and Waterbeach to be suspended and residents to be evacuated from nearby homes.
Bethany Hamilton was one of those evacuated.
"It was quite strange really. It's not something you think about in Cambridge but with it being Mill Road railway bridge, you have got the main railway line underneath," she said.
"I thought someone must be trying to disrupt the city in some way, shape or form."
Bomb disposal experts examined the area before carrying out a controlled explosion.
On investigation afterwards, the noise was believed to be coming from a personal attack alarm and the suspect package was the remains of a chicken dinner.
Sgt Steve Aldred, of 513 Bomb Disposal Squadron, said: "All I can confirm is a team from RAF Wittering carried out a controlled explosion."
Insp Chris Skipper of Cambridgeshire police, said: "It is believed this was a hoax intended to cause disruption to transport and public life."
The road reopened and train services resumed at 11.45pm.
A spokesman for train operator WAGN said 11 services were cancelled during the alert and trains were running up to 40 minutes late afterwards.
"It had quite a severe impact on the service," he said.
-Jay
You ever had food poisoning?
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