A CONTROLLED explosion took place on a street in Reading today after the bomb disposal unit was called to the scene.

Around 100 residents were told to evacuate their homes by Thames Valley Police at around 11.45am this morning, following a 'suspicious item' being found on Lulworth Road, Whitley.

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A cordon was put in place while officers dealt with the scene, with pupils from Christ The King Primary School being evacuated to another nearby school for their safety. 

Thames Valley Police later confirmed on twitter that a controlled detonation took place on the road this afternoon, where the suspicion item was "not belived to have been a threat to the wider public."

Reading Chronicle:

The cordons put in place have since been removed, allowing residents to return home. 

Superintendent Nick John, Commander for Reading, said: “Incidents such as this are concerning for the local community & I would like to thank the public for their patience & co-operation and to our partner agencies for their help in relocating residents whilst cordons were in place.

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“With help from EOD we have been able to swiftly bring this incident to a conclusion, and an investigation into the circumstances has now commenced.

"If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please get in touch online at thamesvalley.police.uk/tell-us or 101 with ref 43210178205.”