Pictures: Bomb squad on scene as Telford street cordoned off by police after post box 'explosion'
A bomb squad were on the scene and a police cordon was put in place around a Telford street where there was an explosion in a post box.
West Mercia Police were called to an incident in Ketley, Telford at around 2.10pm this afternoon.
A road closure was put in place on Sinclair Gardens, Rock Road and other surrounding roads.
A police spokesman said: "The Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was called to examine a Royal Mail post box which has suffered significant damage.
"Approximately 20 residents were moved from the area as a precaution and they have now been allowed to return home."
Royal Mail and officers from Shropshire Fire and Rescue were also at the scene.
Live updates as it happened
Ketley residents describe 'blasts' and 'bangs'
Resident Jackie Smith, of nearby Wrens Nest Lane, said: "We heard a loud bang that sounded like a firework at about 1.30pm or 2pm.
"It sounded really loud and strange and I called my husband, we didn't think any more of it. I needed to get to the bank in town afterwards but when I tried I couldn't get off the estate and that's when I realised that something serious had happened because the emergency services had blocked the road.
"People in the area are saying that a bomb has gone off but we are not sure.
"I had to drive through Overdale to get into town and back home."
A residents of Woodside Road, Ketley, who did not want to be named, said: "There were two blasts that went off.
"They were quite loud. We didn't know what it was. We thought it might have been a bomb.
"It was a frightening thought. We saw the police and the bomb squad turn up."
A grandmother, who does not want to be named,was passing the scene on the way to picking her grandson up from school.
She said: "People were coming out of the shops saying a bomb had gone off.
"Sinclair Gardens was cordoned off. The police were diverting traffic and people away."
Bus driver Stephen Sankey, 61, of Sinclair Gardens, said: "I was at home when I heard two really loud noises which sounded like from the woods behind my house and then in my street.
"I had some builders at my home and they came around to the back of the house to see what the problem was. When I looked in the street the front of the post box had blown off. The door was about 15 yards away from the post box which was smouldering.
"I could see smoke and all the mail that had blown outside, it was smouldering as well. There were no emergency services here at that time.
"I left the property at about 2.05pm to go to work and when I came back I couldn't get in the street because of the emergency services."
Welder Courtney Edmunds, aged 19, of Waterloo Road, Ketley, said: "My dad was at home and he sent me a photo of the damaged post box.
"That's the first time I knew anything was wrong so I phoned him up and he said there had been a really loud noise.
"My dad was evacuated and he was told by the emergency services to come back at about 5pm."
Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed anything or has information that could help them with enquiries to call 101 and quote incident 323 of November 30, 2016.
Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org
