Statement following incident at Southmead Hospital

Armed officers arrested a man at Southmead Hospital’s A&E department this morning aft­er he claimed to be in possession of explosives.

A cordon was put in place while the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit examined a number of bags.

This cordon has now been lifted after the EOD declared the area safe.

As a precaution, A&E was evacuated while the incident was dealt with and the North Bristol NHS Trust declared a major incident due to the wider impact on NHS services. The major incident has now be stood down.

The man arrested has been detained on suspicion of making a bomb hoax and remains in police custody.

We do not believe this incident to be terrorism-related.

North Bristol Neighbourhood Inspector Lorna Dallimore said: “I appreciate the concern this incident may have caused residents and patients and I’d like to reassure them there were no injuries and there is no risk to the wider public.

“The emergency services have well-rehearsed plans for dealing with major incidents. We’re immensely grateful for the public’s patience while emergency services attended the scene and ensured the area was safe.

“Neighbourhood officers are in the area and I’d encourage anyone with any concerns to speak to them directly or alternatively contact their neighbourhood team via 101.”

For further information about impact on NHS services, follow North Bristol NHS Trust’s social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter.