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Old Trafford evacuated and match abandoned over 'suspect package' at Manchester United

[gallery] Manchester United's Premier League clash against Bournemouth was abandoned today and bomb disposal experts were brought in after the discovery of a suspect package at Old Trafford.

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At around 2.40pm an announcement was made for security personnel to invoke 'operation red code' and it soon became apparent the Stretford End and Sir Alex Ferguson Stand were being evacuated.

Shortly after 3.15pm, those remaining in the ground were informed the game was off.

The package was discovered in the North West Quadrant, and shortly before 4pm a bomb disposal unit van was seen arriving at the stadium.

Greater Manchester Police said on Twitter: "GMP are working closely with @ManUtd to investigate a suspicious item at Old Trafford. There has been a controlled evacuation. The Army Bomb Disposal Unit are on scene to assist police at this time."

The Premier League said the match would be rearranged for "as soon as practically possible".

The scene on Twitter:

The league's statement read: "The decision to abandon the Manchester United versus AFC Bournemouth match was taken after the police advised of the necessity to deal with a suspect package.

"When it comes to matters of security it is obviously right that Manchester United and the Premier League place the safety of supporters and employees foremost.

"The Premier League will seek to rearrange the fixture as soon as practically possible and will advise fans accordingly. It is always the last resort to abandon one of our fixtures and while we apologise for the inconvenience we are sure, in the circumstances, they will appreciate the need to do so."

Press Association Sport understands the Premier League is waiting to hear about the nature of the package and how it will be dealt with before rescheduling.

The nature of disposal could potentially impact the ability of Old Trafford to host the match, but it is a situation that is being assessed before any decisions are made.

Manchester United announced: "Due to the discovery of a suspect package in the north-west quadrant of the ground, the match has been abandoned for today on police advice."

Greater Manchester Police assistant chief constable John O'Hare said it would take military expertise to determine the nature of the suspicious item that was discovered.

He said in a statement: "We are doing everything we can to investigate this item as quickly as possible, however our priority is obviously to ensure the safety of everyone in the stadium and surrounding area. As a result, today's game has been abandoned and a controlled evacuation of the stadium has now taken place.

"We are awaiting the imminent arrival of military colleagues to come and support us and establish what exactly we are dealing with.

"We don't make these decisions lightly and we have done this today to ensure the safety of all those attending. I am thankful for everyone's support and assistance and we will continue to provide updates on this matter as soon as they become available."

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