Party-goer's 'explosives' spark bomb squad visit

A man who went to a fancy-dress party dressed as a terrorist, complete with fake explosives strapped to his chest, ended up sparking a bomb scare.

The sticks of "explosives" complete with a wick and taped to a small board was left on a football field in Havelock North on Sunday and found the next day by a daycare group.

The drama began about 3.20pm when parents and youngsters arrived at the Havelock North Wanderers Soccer Club as part of an after-school daycare programme. A parent spotted what appeared to be sticks of explosive and called police.

"We took a look and made an assessment," a police spokesman said. "Cordons were set up and we closed and evacuated Oderings [Nurseries], and awaited advice from the bomb squad."

A worker at the Brookvale Rd garden store said they received the word to shut up shop about 3.45pm.

"We had two or three customers in the shop when the police arrived and said there was a bomb scare."

Police began making inquiries and the trail led them to discover that a fancy-dress party had been staged nearby.

"We spoke to some people who had been to the party and they said someone had gone as a terrorist wearing a fake bomb," the police spokesman said.

A couple of the partygoers went to the scene and confirmed the object had been part of the costume. They said the partygoers had gone down to the park to have a game of soccer and took off some of their costuming to take part.

"It was unintentionally left there," the police spokesman said.

No charges have been laid.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY