Houses evacuated in UK anti-terror raids

Houses were evacuated as a precautionary measure today in England's Greater Manchester area after police found 'suspicious substances' in a residence, official sources said.

A 38-year-old man from Horwich arrested on suspicion of possession of indecent images was also arrested on suspicion of offences under the Terrorism Act 2000, specifically possessing information likely to be useful for a person committing or preparing for acts of terrorism and offences under the Explosives Act.

The raids were supported by officers from the North West Counter Terrorism Unit, the police said.

Officers found some suspicious substances in the property on Cheriton Gardens and around six flats have been evacuated as a precaution while the substances are examined.

A cordon is currently in place and residents and motorists are being advised to avoid the area while emergency services deal with the scene.

Superintendent Steve Nibloe, based at Bolton, said: "We are in the very early stages of this incident and I want to reassure residents that we have no evidence yet that anyone has been in any danger. The measures taken are merely a precaution".

He added: "However, we have discovered some suspicious substances in the house on Cheriton Gardens and we are in the process of having them examined.

As a result we have asked a number of households to leave the immediate area to ensure they are a safe distance away from the property".