Police Investigate Spotland Bomb Drama

Date published: 18/08/2005

Spotland Stadium has now been re-opened after sniffer dogs searched the area, following the finding of an explosive device on Thursday 18 August. A cleaner found a suspicious package that he described as "a jar wrapped in bandages with batteries attached and wires sticking out." A controlled explosion was carried out by the Bomb Disposal Unit.

The cleaner, Ray Irving from Rochdale, said that he found the package while cleaning around the ground on Willbutts Lane. He said “I picked it up and unknowingly put it in my bag and carried it around the ground in my truck. Afterwards, I became immediately suspicious when I saw that it had batteries attached to it and wires coming out of it. I had been carrying it around with me for some time before I realised.”

He added: “I panicked and left it on the ground; I called the police straight away which is why the area was evacuated and cordoned off.”

Army bomb disposal units were called to the scene to assess the situation, and after the controlled explosion, they remained there until 10.00pm. There was a police presence on the ground throughout the night and the following morning. Sniffer dogs arrived on the site shortly after, and nothing more was found.

Paul Swarbrick, manager of the stadium, said: “I don’t know if there’s evidence of there being a detonation device inside the package, it may or may not have gone off if it was never found.”

“There was firework gunpowder inside it so it was made to do harm. I’m just happy that it wasn’t carried out on a match day, there would have been lots more people around and the outcome could have been a lot worse.”

He added: “There will certainly be some extreme health and safety procedures carried out, and we will be taking extra precautions at matches to ensure the well being of staff and visitors.”

The package was suspected home-made device that could have caused serious injury to a person had the device gone off whilst they were in close proximity.