Manchester mayor calls for inquiry into fake bomb

LONDON (AP) — The mayor of greater Manchester on Monday demanded an inquiry into a security ”fiasco” that saw Manchester United’s stadium evacuated after a fake bomb was left behind from a security training exercise.

The discovery of the realistic-looking dummy bomb on Sunday prompted the evacuation of the 75,000-seat Old Trafford stadium minutes before Manchester United’s last game of the season was due to start. Army bomb disposal experts blew up the fake device, described by police as ”incredibly lifelike.”

”Fiasco is the right word,” Mayor Tony Lloyd said. ”It was shambolic.”

John O’Hare, Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, said that ”on appearance this device was as real as could be, and the decision to evacuate the stadium was the right thing to do, until we could be sure that people were not at risk.”

Police said the device discovered in a toilet just before kickoff was left by a private company after a drill using search dogs last week.

British media identified the firm involved as Security …

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