Controlled explosion after Leith flats evacuated

POLICE have had to carry out a controlled explosion on Leith Links after residents were evacuated from a block of flats.

A number of police are in the Leith area and have closed off the street. Persevere Court is in the background. Picture: Jenny Kelloe/twitter.com/jennykelloe

An area of the park was closed off, and the army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal branch dealt with materials recovered from a search of nearby flats.

Part of North Junction Street was sealed off as police and army officials dealt with an incident in Persevere Court.

Residents were evacuated from the tower block while those at neighbouring properties were warned to stay away from windows and prepare for a possible evacuation.

A spokesman for Police Scotland confirmed that ‘material’ was removed from the flat, following a search conducted as part of an ongoing investigation.

He added that the material was likely to be destroyed in a small, controlled explosion carried out by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal branch of the army.

An MoD spokeswoman confirmed that an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit had been at the scene working alongside police.

Residents from Persevere Court have been allowed back into their flats after cordons were lifted.

The incident comes just a week after Fidra Court, in the city’s Muirhouse area was evacuated as bomb disposal crews investigated the discovery of ‘suspicious items’.