PAYesterday, Manchester United’s final Premier League fixture of the season at Old Trafford was abandoned following the discovery of a ‘bomb’ inside the stadium.
After a controlled explosion of the device by a bomb disposal unit, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the suspect package was ‘an incredibly lifelike, but non-viable explosive device’.
As it turns out, a security company is said to have accidentally left the dummy bomb at Old Trafford after being used in a training exercise involving sniffer dogs, The Independent reports.
RLC bomb disposal unit has arrived at Old Trafford. #mufc #afcb pic.twitter.com/TP0GCoVDMs
— United Ways (@UtdWays) May 15, 2016
The public isn’t happy, and the company is now facing calls for a full inquiry.
Greater Manchester’s mayor and police and crime commissioner, Tony Lloyd, branded the scare a ‘fiasco’ that had put people in danger.
People have also taken to social media, saying they are ‘angered’ over the situation and ’embarrassed’ for both the security company and Manchester United.
Are you SERIOUS?! #mufc
— Victoria (@Victoria1867) May 15, 2016
I imagine there was a quick phone call this evening telling that private company their services will no longer be required #mufc #eejits
— Stephen Stokes (@stokesy_95_) May 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/RicFacchin/status/731958827705372673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Two main emotions:
1. Relief that it wasn't the threat we feared
2. Anger that such an incident was possible. A monumental error.#MUFC— James Coatsworth (@j_coatsworth) May 15, 2016
Today has turned out to be more embarrassing for #mufc than transfer deadline day in September 2013.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) May 15, 2016
Others have seen the funny side:
To be fair in always leaving flipchart pens behind when I do training #mufc #bombscare
— SeanThorpe (@ch1ves) May 15, 2016
Leaked: picture from the training exercise midweek and one of them forgot the bag in the washroom. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/TKj7nSf3PN
— ashish (@futbolpogs) May 15, 2016
The guy who accidentally left the fake bomb at Old Trafford right now…#MUFC #MOTD pic.twitter.com/8NxjtBLVN4
— Row Zed (@row_zed) May 15, 2016
The fake bomb – which was said to have been a mobile phone taped to a gas pipe in the toilets – was found just minutes before Manchester United were due on the pitch, leading to the Barclays Premier League game against Bournemouth to be postponed.
The entire stadium – which holds over 75,000 – was evacuated as bomb disposal experts were called in when the ‘incredibly lifelike’ training device sparked a red alert.
The rescheduled match against Bournemouth will now take place at 8pm on Tuesday.
