A man is due to appear in court in connection with an incident in Wimborne that involved evacuations of nearby properties and road closures.
Dorset Police was called at 3.15am on Tuesday 12 February 2019 to reports of a concern for the welfare of a man at an address at Hayes Close. It was reported that the property contained unknown chemical substances and suspicious items.
Officers attended alongside colleagues from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Army’s bomb disposal team to carry out a thorough search of the property.
As a precaution and to ensure the safety of residents and members of the public, a cordon was set up on Hayes Lane at the junction of Wimborne Road. Properties in Hayes Close were also temporarily evacuated.
A 59-year-old man was detained and taken to Poole Hospital for a welfare assessment and was subsequently arrested.
He has now been charged with possession of an explosive substance for unlawful purpose and importing, acquiring, possessing or using a regulated substance without a licence.
Detective Inspector Wayne Seymour, of Bournemouth CID, said: “I would like to thank all those residents and members of the public who were affected while the emergency services dealt with this incident. I would like to reassure them that the evacuations and road closures were entirely necessary to allow us to respond to this incident and ensure the safety of the public was not compromised.”