'Diabolical' reaction to bomb scare (From Stroud News and Journal)

'Diabolical' reaction to bomb scare

A BOMB scare in Stroud's town centre on Monday was ignored by police for 35 minutes.

Job-seekers were evacuated from Stroud's Job Centre at around 3pm after a rucksack was left on one of the computer terminals.

In the light of the recent London tragedies where explosives were hidden in rucksacks carried by suicide bombers worried staff immediately alerted police and ushered people outside. But half an hour later Gloucestershire Constabulary was still nowhere to be seen.

Paul Bradley, who arrived at the Job Centre in London Road to be told he wasn't allowed in, said: "I thought the police were absolutely diabolical. There must have been about 25 to 30 people affected by their lack of promptness. "I know this is Stroud not London but they are paid to serve and protect us.

"Quite a few people went up to the job centre and they were shepherded away. It's not very good that the police were messing around like that. It was obviously a prank but it's the principle."

Nick Reeve, a manager at the Job Centre, said the inconvenience was not the fault of Job Centre staff, who were following procedure. She said all incidents of that nature had to be taken seriously. "We have a fire and bomb procedure and we have to wait for the all clear," she said.

Gloucestershire Constabulary confirmed that it had taken officers around half an hour to arrive at the scene, but said their response time was appropriate.

Chief inspector Mark Organ said: "On the information provided by the original caller, a threat assessment was carried out and the incident was graded accordingly. "The police response was proper and proportionate under the circumstances."