Natty Lane Illingworth: Police release update on 'suspicious object' as bomb squad called to Halifax village

Residents were evacuated from their homes in Illingworth, near Halifax, yesterday (Saturday December 30) after the object was found during a police search on Natty Lane.

Two people were arrested from two addresses on suspicion of firearms offences.

A 100m cordon was put in place while an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was sent to the property, with road closures in place including Natty Lane and Keighley Road. An area was set up at Illingworth Sports and Social Club for residents who had been evacuated from their homes.

The army experts carried out a controlled destruction of the suspicious object in a sealed area outside the house, and police confirmed that it has now been “safely disposed of”.

In a statement released on Saturday evening, Inspector Ryan Stockton of Calderdale Police said: “I want to thank residents for their understanding and patience while this operation was carried out. I also want to apologise for any disruption it may have caused.

“The deployment of specialist resources may understandably have caused some concern, but it is entirely normal for them to attend in such operations in order to take every possible precaution to ensure public safety.

“A suspicious object found at the property has now been safely disposed of.”

All police cordons had been removed by the early hours of Sunday morning.