BLOG: Exeter streets eerily quiet

Two of the busiest arteries into Exeter were eerily quiet this afternoon after bomb disposal teams examined two suspect packages.

Sidwell Street and Longbrook Street are normally bustling with traffic but they were occupied by just a few individual police officers.

Cordons stretched across the entrances to both roads from New North Road.

Businesses were evacuated and people turned away in their droves.

Amongst those waiting to return to their building were workers at Carden’s Estate Agents.

One told the Daily: “We were told to leave immediately. It was a simple as that.”

At one point, just before midday, a police dog unit arrived and two officers wearing American-style peaked caps went into Waterstones, only to return and leave a few minutes later.

Delivery drivers, residents and workers were amongst those being turned away but the doors of John Lewis remained open.

It was also business as usual on the High Street, which was unaffected by the drama.

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