A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of a bomb hoax after a Peter Kay show was evacuated over a “suspicious bag”.
The 19-year-old was held after panicked fans were forced to flee Birmingham’s Utilita Arena during the comic’s show on Friday night.
Peter Kay was rushed from the stage as cops ordered the packed crowd to leave the venue, which can seat 15,000 spectators.
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Police swooped on the arena after reports of a potentially suspicious bag being found inside.
West Midlands Police later confirmed that nothing dangerous was discovered following searches of the venue.
The force said a 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a bomb hoax offence and remains in custody.
In a statement, cops said: “Following searches of the Utilita Arena last night no items of a suspicious nature were found.
“A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a bomb hoax offence and remains in custody this morning as our enquiries continue.
“We’re grateful to everyone for their co-operation and understanding. As always our priority is the safety of the public.”
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The gig was part of Kay’s Better Late Than Never tour, which will see all proceeds donated to cancer charities.
Punters initially thought it was “part of the show”, but quickly realised “something was serious”.
Attendees described “complete panic” in the arena as the scene unfolded and rumors of an “apparent bomb-scare” circulated.
Steve Aspinall, who was at the gig with his wife on Friday, said the abrupt end to the show caught them by surprise.
“Two guys came on, one with a mic and headphones, one guy whispered to Peter Kay and then he and Peter Kay shot off down the side.”
He said the audience was told to look for security guards and listen out for any announcements.
“To be honest, I thought it was part of the show at first,” Mr. Aspinall, who lives in Bideford, Devon, said.
“It was a strange atmosphere, eerie, just confused really (about) what was happening.
“But it was alright and everyone was calm and left quite quickly with no panic.”
Footage shows punters flowing through the stands of the 15,000-person arena to the exits.
Video taken outside the arena shows multiple police cars and riot vans parked up with lights flashing.
A crowd of people can be seen streaming from the stadium’s entrance out into the street.
Utilita Area has released a statement confirming that Peter Kay’s performance tonight will “go ahead as planned”.
They thanked attendees for their cooperation which ensured a “swift and safe” evacuation.
A statement from the Utilita Arena said “everyone was safely evacuated and that the venue is secure”.
It comes as the UK’s terror threat was raised to “severe”, meaning it is “highly likely” there could be an attack on British soil.
Officials announced the threat has been elevated from “substantial” to “severe” after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green on Tuesday.
Though there was no suggestion the two events are connected.
Money & Markets Editor
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