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Evacuated residents return home as cordon lifted

Hayley Coyle,in Sheffield,
Victoria Scheer,Yorkshire,
Julia Bryson,Yorkshireand
David Spereall,Yorkshire
News imageTom Ingall/BBC A police van and a police car parked outside red brick houses on a street.Tom Ingall/BBC
Investigations at a property on Mapplebeck Road were continuing, police said on Wednesday

Residents who were evacuated from their homes in Sheffield while Army bomb disposal experts and police searched a nearby property have been allowed to return home.

A forensic police search began at the property on Mapplebeck Road, High Green, on Friday, and on Tuesday a 328ft (100m) cordon was put in place, with neighbours told to leave their homes.

On Monday, Rachel Hale, 35, appeared at Sheffield Magistrates' Court charged with an offence under the Explosive Substances Act 1883 and was remanded in custody.

At about 18:00 BST on Wednesday, South Yorkshire Police said the cordon had been lifted and neighbours could return home after it was established there was "no longer a risk" to the area.

Officers had earlier warned that residents might have to make arrangements to be away from home for second night, before it was established that it was safe for them to return.

News imageMalik Walton/BBC Police cars parked on a residential street with police tape and officers standing nearby. Behind the police cars is van which has 'bomb disposal' written on the back. Malik Walton/BBC
Police said specialists had been sent to the scene

A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "On behalf of all involved in the search operation, we thank residents for their patience and understanding.

"We do not underestimate the disruptive impact evacuations have on people's lives and only take these decisions to keep people safe.

"While the Army's Explosive Ordnance Team has confirmed there is no longer a risk to nearby homes, the investigation into potential explosive substances is ongoing."

News imageHayley Coyle/BBC A woman wearing a light blue hoodie is looking at the camera. Her hair is tied back and she has glasses on her head. In the background, a police officer and police car are visible and are standing in front of a group of houses. Hayley Coyle/BBC
Tina Martin had to leave her home on Tuesday

Residents who were earlier advised to leave their homes had been directed to a nearby rest centre.

Tina Martin, who lives on Worrall Road, was told to leave her home at about 18:00 BST on Tuesday.

"We got a knock on the door to say we had to evacuate," she explained.

Martin said she had time to "get some stuff together, get my pets" and then went to stay at her daughter's house.

"We've got pets, we've got all our belongings in the house - clothing, food, everything," she said.

She described the evacuation as "quite worrying, just being left out with nowhere to go".

News imageHayley Coyle/BBC A suburban street scene with two marked police vehicles stopped on a paved roadway. The vehicles are white with blue and fluorescent yellow checkerboard markings, and both have blue emergency lights illuminated on their roofs. In the left foreground, a person wearing a high-visibility police vest and dark trousers is standing beside the rear of one of the police vehicles. The vehicle appears to be an estate car, parked across part of the roadway. Another person in dark clothing with a high-visibility garment draped over one arm is standing beside the open driver's door of the same vehicle. To the right, a second marked police car is positioned on the road facing toward the right side of the image. The word “POLICE” is clearly visible in large blue letters along the side of the vehicle. Blue emergency lights are also visible on the roof of this car.Hayley Coyle/BBC
Police at the scene in High Green on Wednesday morning

Amy Copeland told the BBC that her dad had been evacuated from his home at about 17:00 BST on Tuesday.

"We got back from work last night and then [dad] had a knock from police saying, 'you've got to evacuate'," she said.

"Luckily for him, his sons live around the area so he's got a residence to stay at.

"I stayed at my partner's house, so this is completely bizarre to me."

Roads including Mapplebeck Road, Griffiths Road, School Road, Greengate Lane, Worrall Road, Beechwood Road, Hawthorn Road, Entwhistle Road and Greenwood Road were closed for several hours before the cordon was lifted on Wednesday, while nearby Greengate Lane Academy was also shut.

Hale, of Mapplebeck Road, is due to appear again at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 22 September.

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