Bomb disposal team carry out controlled explosion in Little Chelsea, Eastbourne

UPDATE: all-clear given by lunchtime after controlled explosion

Dozens of residents were evacuated from their homes today in the Little Chelsea area of Eastbourne town centre after an "unidentified liquid" was found in a house.

Army bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion this morning, Sussex Police confirmed.

They have also said the incident was not being treated as terrorism related.

Residents within an 85-metre radius of the house in Hyde Road were asked to leave their homes as a precaution.

This affected people in 160 homes in Hyde Road, Camden Road, Calverley Road, West Terrace, Bath Road and Grove Road.

Eastbourne Borough Council opened the doors to the nearby town hall in Grove Road as a 'rest centre' for them. A well-rehearsed operation swung into action as council staff offered residents refreshments.

Council leader Stephen Holt said he was happy with how the council had responded, adding of the residents: "People are being very patient."

IT worker Mariana Araujo and her boyfriend Michal Kot, who had to leave their home, continued to work on their laptops in the town hall.

Mariana said she first heard about it when neighbours texted her first thing this morning. But they were not asked to leave their house until about 10am.

"I first thought about what I needed to pack. I also checked on one of my neghbours who is disabled but there was an ambulance to help them leave their house," she said.

"It feels very relaxed here. I am happy they waited until today to evacuate people rather than last night."

We have been asked by Eastbourne Borough Council to remove a photo of Mariana and Michael, which we took with their permission, because the council said "no photography was permitted" inside the town hall.

Just before 1300, a police officer told residents they could return to their homes.

Shops and cafes in the area had been asked to close for the morning.

Sussex Police said in a press release earlier today that a report was made to police at 5.27pm yesterday (23 June) and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team had attended.

It said that officers had visited nearby homes and advised residents to stay indoors and access to the area was restricted as a precaution.

In a later press release, Chief Inspector Simon Yates was quoted as saying the bomb disposal team would "attend and manage the safe disposal of the item".

He said: “A search of the property where the bottle was found has been completed and no other items of concern have been identified.

"This incident is currently not being treated as terror-related and is not believed to be linked to any other incidents in the area."