Residents evacuated after suspicious items found in a property in Bournmoor, Chester-le-Street, County Durham

Jul 30 2010 By ncjMedia Newsdesk

Residents of a County Durham village were evacuated last night after police found "suspicious items".

Part of Moor Court, in Bournmoor, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, was sealed off while police waited for military experts to arrive.

The items were found in a housing association property earlier this afternoon. The tenant was not in at the time.

A 200m exclusion zone has been thrown up and immediate neighbours to the property evacuated, with a rest centre established at Woodstone village hall.

Residents outside the exclusion zone are asked to stay indoors while investigations continue.

Durham Assistant Chief Constable Michael Banks said: "We are carrying out a full assesment of the scene. These items have given cause for concern but we don't know their precise nature at this stage.

"Our aim is to keep disruption to a minimum but we need to keep the area clear. We are doing everything possible to contain this situation and protect public safety.

"We will try to get a return to normality at the earliest opportunity. We ask for the public's patience as these enquiries continue and we thank them for their support."