Greater Manchester Police have confirmed a controlled explosion has been carried out at Old Trafford after the discovery of a mobile phone attached to a gas pipe in the stadium.
Manchester United’s final Premier League game of the season was abandoned following the discovery of a suspect package.
Fans were evacuated from their Sir Alex Ferguson Stand and Stretford End after the discovery of the package in a north-west quadrant of the 76,000-seater stadium.
Police were called in to assess the package, which was discovered less than 30 minutes before kick-off, with the ground already filling up with fans from United and Bournemouth.
Bomb disposal experts arrived soon afterwards and Greater Manchester Police confirmed: “A controlled explosion has just been carried out within the stadium by bomb disposal experts at Old Trafford.”
The game came over the public address system at Old Trafford at 3.15pm, after fans outside had been told to get as far away from the ground as possible.
A statement from United read: “Due to the discovery of a suspect package in the North-West Quadrant of the ground, the match with Bournemouth been abandoned today on police advice.
“People in the stadium are asked to remain in their seats while the forecourt is cleared of fans already evacuated from the stadium. Further announcements will be made asap.”
Fans and those in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand and East Stand were told to remain in their seats, while the decision was taken to abandon the game, on the advice of Police.
Media working at Old Trafford were granted an extra half-an-hour to work, but the entire stadium was evacuated.
No announcement has been made as to when the game, which could determine whether United make the Champions League and which could be worth £5million in prize money to Bournemouth, will go ahead.
But a Premier League statement said it would “seek to rearrange the fixture as soon as practically possible”.
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