November 20, 2019 9.38 am This story is over 60 months old

Skegness shopping centre evacuated over ‘unknown substance’

Lincolnshire Police is still investigating the incident

Police evacuated a shopping centre in Skegness after staff reported a suspicious “unknown substance.”

Update: Lincolnshire Police arrested a man on suspicion of a public order offence in connection with the shopping centre evacuation.

The Hildreds Centre called Lincolnshire Police at 4.27pm on Tuesday, November 19. Officers then closed down the centre to investigate.

No one was injured and there seemed to be no long-lasting effects from the substance, so the centre was reopened that evening.

Investigations are ongoing and police have asked anyone who witnessed the incident to call 101 and quote incident 301 of November 19.

Charles Spooner, Hildreds Shopping Centre, said: “There was an incident in the Hildreds shopping centre earlier today.

“Our security team acted swiftly to secure the centre contacted the police and emergency services immediately, who attended the centre.

“The safety and security of everyone in our centre is always our first priority and are supporting the police with their investigation.

“The centre was reopened following the incident and will open as normal tomorrow.”