THOUSANDS of people were evacuated from a business park in Newport after a “suspect package was found”.

Businesses in Celtic Springs park were evacuated after the package was found in one of the buildings.

Around 1,500 people from SSCL, Welsh Water, Holiday Inn Express Newport and other companies were asked to vacate from their buildings for around two hours while the incident was investigated.

Children from Teddie’s Nursery were also evacuated.

A spokeswoman for South Wales Fire and Rescue service said that crews were mobilised to the incident at Celtic Springs, in Coedkernew, and that the initial call came to them at 1.41pm.

She said: “We had four appliances on site and persons have been evacuated – and accounted for.

“There was a cordon in place and Gwent Police, as well as police dogs who undertook searches of the area.”

People were waiting for several hours while the Bomb Squad examined the “suspicious package” which turned out to be a false alarm.

Gwent Police inspector Ryan Francis said: “He said: “It was an innocent item that was found which posed no danger. It was found in the post and when investigated was found to be safe.”