‘Small bomb' planted in car (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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‘Small bomb' planted in car
11:23am Tuesday 20th March 2007 in News By Nick Evans
The police close Lowerhouse Lane
BOMB disposal teams swooped on a residential area after an industrial firework, with the explosive power of a small bomb, was planted in a car.
A hole was cut in the soft top roof of a Volkswagen Beetle convertible in Lowerhouse Lane, Burnley, and the bomb' was dropped inside.
It is believed the firework had been lit, but had not gone off.
After the owner of the car spotted the device at 7am yesterday, the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, and police officers, swooped on the area.
Police sealed off a large section of the road on the Burnley and Padiham border, and told nearby residents to stay indoors.
The scene was cleared around three hours later, at about 10am.
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Bomb disposal officers made sure the scene was safe before retrieving the device from the car. Officers have now launched an investigation to try and establish who put the firework in the car, but they believe it was a one-off' incident.
Forensic teams were examining the device, which they said had the potential explosive power of a small bomb.
Such industrial fireworks have been used by criminal gangs in Liverpool, and other cities, to cause car explosions.
Sergeant Jes Holland, of Burnley police, said: "We were called out about 7am after the device was discovered in the car.
"It had not ignited and, because it was an industrial firework, we called the bomb squad in to deal with the device and make it safe.
"We are now trying to establish how it came to be in the car although, at this stage, it seems to be a one-off incident.
"There is no suggestion of any terrorist involvement, or anything of that nature."
Neighbours said they were shocked to hear what was happening on their doorstep.
Sylvia Rowe, 62, who has lived three doors away from the house involved, said: "I heard a couple of loud bangs and flashes last night, but I put that down to the storm.
"I don't really know anything, apart from that the police wanted us to stay inside and stay away from the windows until they gave us the all clear."
