Police cordon off major road after 'World War One shell taken into church'

Police cordoned off a main road in south Manchester after reports of a 'suspicious device' being found.

Officers taped off a stretch of Wilmslow Road in Withington this afternoon. A number of police vehicles were on the scene near to the Withington Fire Station from around 11am.

Bomb disposal experts were been called in. The M.E.N understands that it is believed the item could be a 'device from World War One' that had been taken into a church.

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In a statement, a GMP spokesperson said: "At around 11.10am this morning (Wednesday 16 October 2024), we were called to reports of a suspicious device on Wilmslow Road in Withington. Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) are making their way to the scene and a 25m cordon has been put in place.

"Please avoid the area and find alternative routes. Thank you for your cooperation." The cordon was lifted at 1.45pm.

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Wilmslow Road has now been reopened.

The cordon has been lifted, with traffic and buses now able to get through the area as normal.

Routes 42/42A/42B/42C/142. Wilmslow Road in #Withington has reopened so services are now returning to normal routes in the area. pic.twitter.com/fc8owrudLe

Eyewitnesses at the scene have told our reporter Greta that the 'WW1 shell was brought to a church this morning'.

Emergency services were then alerted.

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Here's a statement from GMP this afternoon.

A number of ambulance vehicles are on the scene, as well as police and fire crews.

A cordon is in place, with traffic being diverted away from the area.

I’m at the scene on Wilmslow Road in Withington where a