Police and bomb disposal units shut down part of Southampton docks yesterday after a security guard found a fake bomb, which was being used in a training exercise.
Hampshire police and a Royal Logistics Corps bomb disposal team were called after the guard reported the package. They then set up a 100 metre perimeter around the device, closing dock gate 10 and a neighbouring industrial estate.
It then turned out that the device had been planted as part of a training exercise to test staff.
Ian Sainsbury, spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary, said the police had not been informed about the training exercise, and it also seemed some port managers themselves may have been unaware of it.
“Senior police officers are currently meeting with the port’s security organisation to offer them advice and discuss their procedures to prevent any similar incidents in the future,” he said.
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