UPDATED: Friars Square evacuated after incident

The town’s largest shopping area was evacuated and police were in attendance at around 11am.

Town centre manager Diana Fawcett confirmed the evacuation and shop workers at the centre were told it was an ‘incident’

A worker said staff will be told later today about the nature of the evacuation, which happens ‘every couple of months’.

She said: “Sometimes it’s one of the cafes with burnt toast or the hairdryers in the salons.

“But we will be told later. It was a bit of action, for an otherwise normal morning.”

Friars Square bosses said it was a ‘false alarm’.