The package after two controlled explosions
St Hugh’s College has been reopened after a bomb scare closed several buildings for 4 hours this afternoon.
Police sniffer dogs and a bomb disposal robot moved in to deal with the package, which looked like a car battery sized clear plastic box bound in tape, with wires taped to the side.
After two ‘pop’ tests and two controlled explosions, the device was made safe. It did not in fact contain explosives.
St Hugh’s said in a statement at 4.15pm:
“A package was found on college grounds this morning that, to be cautious, was treated as suspicious, but the police have confirmed that it is not an explosive device and poses no danger. As a precautionary measure certain college buildings had been evacuated, but the buildings are now operational again and the situation is returning to normal. We thank the police and we appreciate the calm response of everyone involved.”
The disruption caused panic among some finalists, who went to exam schools without their sub fusc. The college made efforts to help those with exams by ordering taxis and opening up offices so that finalists would have somewhere quiet to work.
