Homes evacuated after 'hazardous materials' discovery

About 100 homes were evacuated as a precaution after the discovery of "potentially hazardous or combustible materials" during a police search.

Essex Police had been carrying out a search warrant at a property in Rokescroft, Pitsea, on Tuesday, "following intelligence received".

A 100m exclusion-zone cordon was placed around the address while bomb disposal teams worked on site and specialists recovered "items of concern".

A 37‑year‑old man from Pitsea has been arrested on suspicion of making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances and remains in police custody, the force said.

At about 18:40 GMT the cordon was lifted and residents were able to return to their homes, on the edge of Basildon.

The force said the operation "had required the temporary evacuation of around 100 properties while the work continues".

Police said officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the investigation.

Ch Insp Paul Hogben said: "Nothing we have found suggests any ongoing threat to the wider public, and we are confident this incident is contained.

"I appreciate the concern this precaution will cause, but establishing a 100m exclusion zone is the right step to allow disposal experts to safely recover any hazardous items."

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.