Evacuated residents express joy at being back home

Residents who had to leave their homes due to a major police operation in Derby have described the moment they were allowed back as "wonderful."

On Thursday, around 200 households in the Vulcan Street area were temporarily evacuated following the arrest of two men, aged in their 40s and 50s, on suspicion of involvement with explosives. Police executed a search warrant at a local property after receiving intelligence about potentially dangerous materials. Both men remain in custody.

John Morley, 86, was informed at approximately 20:00 GMT on Friday that he could return home. He described the experience as "wonderful" and emphasized, "you can't beat living in your own house." Mr. Morley had stayed overnight with his daughter in Allestree before being accommodated in a hotel on Friday night. Derby City Council later arranged a taxi to take him home. He recalled the initial evacuation notification: "At the time we knew it must be serious for us to evacuate at all. It's times like that people do pull together."

Charlotte Woodins, 19, who lives in the evacuation zone with her partner Josh Dean, spent the evacuation period with relatives. She recounted the moment she was forced to leave her home: "We were just about to go out and then a police officer came to my car and said 'when you go out you won't be allowed to come back.' I would say we're happy to be home. It's still a bit nerve-wracking. With the police presence around the area, it is a bit alarming, but we're glad to be back in our house."

Police confirmed that the situation is not being treated as a terrorism-related incident and that there is "no wider risk to the community."

A controlled explosion was conducted on Thursday at around 16:00 while the evacuation zone, covering several roads near Vulcan Street, was still active. Community support centers, including the Pakistan Community Centre and The Singh Sabha Gurdwara on Princes Street, are available for residents needing assistance.

Superintendent Becky Webster thanked the affected residents for their patience and cooperation during the disruption, stating: "We realise that this has been inconvenient and we appreciate people's patience and cooperation."

Derbyshire Police noted that the two arrested men are Polish nationals and emphasized that disclosing their nationality aligns with national guidelines to prevent misinformation.

Author: Ava Mitchell