Explosive Chemical Find Brings Chaos to St Leonards
PAUL McLAUGHLIN and FERDUSARA ALI
Emergency services cordoned off roads around the A259 Marina on Thursday evening after explosive chemicals were found in a property. Police declared a major incident with “immediate risk of threat to life” and called in bomb squad officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team.
Half marathon cancelled – but some ran anyway
The emergency resulted in the evacuation of 80 local residents from their homes, many of them taking refuge at the nearby Royal Victoria Hotel, where Hastings BC established a rest centre. It also led to the cancellation of the Hastings Half Marathon as a precaution.
The police cordon was in place over the weekend and resulted in traffic chaos with motorists advised to avoid the area and to use alternative routes.
The EOD team found large quantities of one material that indicated explosive elements in it and carried out a controlled burn in a skip on Saturday morning. They also uncovered around 500 canisters containing unknown chemicals, although these are not considered to be explosive. These will be tested and assessed by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and national specialists following the completion of the search.
A 28-year-old man has been detained under the Mental Health Act. The police investigation is ongoing but from evidence gathered so far, suggests there is no indication that the man arrested intended to cause harm either to himself or anybody else.
Initially, Sussex Police believed they had discovered a “meth lab” for producing methamphetamine, a highly addictive and illegal drug. However, they have since ruled out this theory. The police have also stated that, “at this time,” they do not believe the incident is related to terrorism.
Superintendent Michelle Palmer-Harris thanked those residents affected and the wider community in St Leonards for their patience and support. She said, “The declaration of a major incident allows emergency services and other partner agencies to work together effectively to keep the public safe.”
Local MP Helena Dollimore thanked the emergency services who “have worked through the night to keep our town safe” in what has been a “very troubling incident for our community.” She urged people to stay away from the affected area to allow the police to do their jobs as safely and efficiently as possible.
The vast majority of residents evacuated were allowed to return home on Saturday evening and the police cordon was shortened. A small number of properties remained within the cordon, however.
The cancellation of the Hastings Half Marathon on Saturday evening left 3,000 runners registered for the main event and 400 participants signed up for the junior race disappointed. Many of them had trained for the 13.1 miles for months and some had travelled to Hastings from across the country and from Europe.
The race organisers, Nice Work and the Hastings Lions Club explained that the difficult decision had been taken after consulting with the police. The President of Hastings Lions Club, Hayley Luck, said the organisers of the race “also recognise and understand that mental health difficulties present itself in many different ways and hope that the young man and his family receive the support that they need.”
It wasn’t just runners who were left disappointed. The financial impact of the cancellation of the race will have a major impact on local charities who rely on the race to boost their fundraising. Local businesses have also been affected. Goodmans, the Barbershop and Coffee Spot, based on the seafront in St Leonards says the half marathon is usually one of the busiest days of the year for trade.
Within minutes of the race cancellation, however, social media was abuzz with runners expressing their determination to complete the 13.1 miles and to follow the actual course as closely as possible. Others ran their own race to raise funds for charity. Amy Biddle was one of those who was not to be put off. She ran from Rye to Pett Level and back in support of Motorneurone Disease “to honour all the kindness that people have shown me in their sponsorship.” Rebecca Fairbairn, was another who ran from Heathfield to Polegate.
St Michael’s Hospice (Hastings and Rother) thanked “everyone who powered through alternative routes to raise funds for their chosen personal and charitable causes. We are very proud of the Hastings and Rother community for coming together.”
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