LIVE Armed police on scene of THIRD city centre cordon at Piccadilly Gardens just metres from bus incident - updates

A cordon has been set up this afternoon (August 8) following an incident at Piccadilly bus station. Emergency services are on the scene, and police tape surrounds a bus stop.

This is the second police scene to be established in the city centre in approximately an hour. The first is just 500 feet away on nearby Portland Street. It is unclear currently whether the two are connected.

Police remain at the scene of the first incident this afternoon. On Portland Street, fire crews are also in attendance with tape surrounding the pavement and a bus.

READ MORE Portland Street cordon LIVE updates as emergency services descend on city centre

Further details about the incident have not yet been confirmed.

This is a live incident. Updates to follow.

Police appeared to be setting up a third cordon near City Tower this afternoon.

But the moves to erect the third scene were aborted. A man was also seen being handcuffed by officers.

A witness at the scene has just witnessed the huge armed cops response at nearby City Tower.

They said: "All hell is breaking loose. We are stood outside City Tower. Coppers are coming from all directions. Armed response are here."

Emergency services have descended on a busy city centre street after a substance was thrown. A cordon has been in place on Portland Street, outside the Manchester One office block, this afternoon (August 8).

Police and firefighters are in attendance. A section of the pavement was taped off by officers between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street, but the cordon has since been reduced to the area around a Stagecoach bus which was inside the cordon.

Greater Manchester Police has confirmed that the incident involved a substance being thrown which was not corrosive.

FOLLOW