Homes evacuated and streets sealed off due to bomb scare in Bilston
Homes were evacuated on a Bilston estate when a suspicious device was found after a man was found dead.
The suspicious item was eventually found not to be explosive, but the scene remained cordoned off for around five hours.
The bomb squad was called after the man was found dead in the Dudley Street area at lunchtime on Friday. The incident is believed to have focused on Pickwick Place, just off Dudley Street.
Armed response units, ambulances and fire engines were all sent and residents were unable to get back behind the cordon as a bomb squad robot was used.
Those living within a small radius of the building where the device was found were also forced to leave their homes.
Daniel Renshaw was turned back as he exited from the nearby Morrisons supermarket.
He said: "There are so many police cars and fire engines with their lights on it looks like Blackpool illuminations.
"Police have closed the road by Morrisons and you can see there is a property up the road which is surrounded by police cars."
The cordon blocking off Dudley Street was lifted at around 5pm but police were still active around Pickwick Place afterwards.
Hatfield Drive resident Monica Harvey was among those told to leave her home for around two hours without being given a reason why.
She said: "I've been evacuated from my house in Hatfield drive. They wouldn’t tell me why."
And Keith Williams was in a similar situation - left sat in his car waiting to get home until the cordon was lifted.
A West Midlands Police spokesman said:"We were called to a house in Pickwick Place in Bilston, Wolverhampton at just after midday where a suspicious device was found.
"An Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team were called in to make checks and found the item posed no danger."
Along with the emergency teams was a worker from Wolverhampton Council, sent with sandbags in case of any explosion.
