PATIENTS and staff at Whiston Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department were evacuated for more than two hours last week following a bomb scare.

Police were alerted at 5pm on Wednesday, October 11 after a small bag was left unattended in the department's waiting room. After checks to make sure it didn't belong to a patient proved negative, the hospital evacuated all patients and staff out of the department.

Neighbouring hospitals were asked to deal with emergency 999 calls and a specialist bomb disposal team who were called out by police to investigate, discovered that the bag contained clothing. The department was re-opened again at 7.30pm.

Tony Whitfield, the deputy chief executive of the St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals (NHS) Trust, said: "We regret the inconvenience to patients caused by the situation but the safety of patients, visitors and staff was our only concern. We thank patients for their co-operation and forebearance through this difficult period. We were pleased our emergency plans worked well and the teamwork in the hospital which allowed patients to be moved quickly to safety."