Shrewsbury Flower Show evacuated over security threat

Shrewsbury Flower show has been evacuated after police said they received a "serious" security threat from an anonymous caller.

Visitors to the two-day event, which opened on Friday, were ordered to leave as police conducted a thorough search of the venue, at The Quarry.

West Mercia Police urged guests to stay calm despite the alarming nature of the incident.

A cordon was put in place and people were advised to avoid the area.

The event was cancelled for the rest of the evening following the evacuation at 19:00 BST.

Supt Damian Pettit, said: "I know that the Shrewsbury Flower Show is a big event which has attracted significant crowds, particularly with today's lovely weather, and that this threat may be alarming for visitors to the show.

"I would urge visitors to stay calm and follow the advice of officers in the area."

He added officers were still assessing the threat and would not be able to provide any further information.

The event, organised by Shropshire Horticultural Society, has been held for more than 130 years and features celebrity gardeners and musical performances and a firework display.

From the scene: BBC Midlands Today weather presenter Becky Wood

We were just about to go live on the evening programme with the weather report when an announcement was made asking people to evacuate the site.

We had been allowed to stay initially but then they moved us all out and over the road to St Chad's Church.

People were relatively calm and expected to be allowed back in soon after, but then police officers and security staff starting moving people further away from the site.

We've had to leave all our possessions there and don't know when we'll be allowed back on.

The fireworks returned to the show this year after they were cancelled in 2022 when a heatwave left dry and dangerous conditions.

Local town crier Martin Wood informed crowds on Friday evening that the fireworks would not be happening as the event had been cancelled.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was working with other emergency services colleagues at the venue and its Hazardous Area Response Team had been deployed to the scene.

Organisers said a full security sweep of the park was likely to take about two hours.

It advised traders and those who left possessions on the site to head to St Chad's Church in the town where they should be allowed access to retrieve items and can secure their stands.

"Very sad that this has happened today," they said in a short statement on social media.

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