Gornal residents heard 'controlled explosions' during police search at woodland
Residents living near an area of woodland where a blue police tent has been set up said they had heard a "few controlled explosions".
However, they added they were still none the wiser about what was going on as officers work at the scene for the third day.
The woodland around Old Quarry Drive in Upper Gornal has been taped off by West Midlands Police and a blue tent has been set up.
It comes after reports of suspicious items saw army bomb disposal experts and officers arrive at the scene on Wednesday.
Several days after the items were removed from the area and inspected by explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) experts on the fields of nearby Ellowes Hall Sports College, there was still a sizeable police presence on Old Quarry Drive.
This included four police vans and a car and a large area of the woodland being taped off, as well as the sight of a large blue tent and officers walking up and down the tracks of the woodland.
For residents living nearby, it was an uncertain time as many said they hadn't heard anything from the police as to why there was still a number of officers and cars still there.
Joseph Taylor said he had read about what was going on, due to having a young baby at home, but said he hadn't been told anything by the police as to what was happening.
He said: "I've only really found out what was happening from reading about it online, but going off what has been put online, I know that the army were here with the EOD disposal team, so I assume it was some sort of explosive.
"We've got a four-day-old baby, so haven't really been out of the house, but I do also know that no one has come to tell us anything either.
"I'll be honest, I'm not too concerned as I feel that we would have been told something if it had been dangerous and would probably have been moved, so I'm more reassured at the moment."
Other people living on the street said they hadn't heard anything new from the police, while one woman, who asked not to be named, said it had been a surprise to see police tape up on the nearby fences.
She said: "We've not been told much by the police and all we've heard is that there was possibly explosive stuff down by the woods, but we've seen them around here for the last three days.
"I've also heard a few controlled explosions and the police have been around, but the first I knew about it was seeing the fence near me taped up.
"I then saw the bomb disposal unit turn up around 2pm, then the police arrived and they've been here ever since."
