Bomb disposal experts were ordered to stand down after a ticking suspect package turned out to be a Dictaphone.
Colchester High Street came to a standstill and police prevented cars entering the busy road yesterday afternoon.
Army bomb disposal experts were brought in after a package making a suspicious noise was received at a solicitors' office.
Alert - a police officer moves crowds away from the area where the package was discovered. Picture: STEVE BRADING
The road was cordoned off between St Nicholas Street and Queen Street while the parcel, at John Fowler Oldman and Co solicitors in the High Street, was checked out.
Police kept onlookers back while the Army's bomb disposal experts examined the package before declaring the incident was a false alarm, as the package contained a Dictaphone. Some shops were evacuated during the operation
Published Thursday October 17, 2002
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