Police threw a security cordon around a Bournmoor housing estate and evacuated families living within a 200-metre radius of the apartment in Moor Court where the mystery substance was found.

But more than eight hours into the investigation last night, military experts ruled the find was an "inert substance" that posed no threat to the public.

About a dozen residents of Moor Court and Marigold Crescent were moved to a rest centre at nearby Woodstone Village Community Centre, then to a hotel for the night, although some families went back home when the alert was stood down at about 11.40pm.

An eyewitness told the Echo the drama first unfolded at about 3.30pm yesterday.

The next thing we knew the place was swarming with police, fire and ambulance crews and officer were knocking on doors telling us to get out of our homes.

"There were all sorts of rumours flying about. Some people say a white powder and chemicals have been discovered, others are saying it's a bomb."

A neighbour living on the edge of the exclusion zone in Marigold Crescent added: "We were told to stay to stay indoors and that specialist units from Leeds and Catterick Army Garrison were on the way to take a look at what has been found.

"The only way in and out of the estate was blocked. Some people were taken from their homes and moved to a safe place."

A Durham Police spokeswoman said the mystery items were found in a housing association property and that the tenant was not in at the time.
Emergency crews set up a response centre in a hall at the rear of St Barnabas Church during the incident.

An unmarked police car remained outside the unoccupied home which had been searched, which is at the rear of shops in Moor Court, early this morning.

Around 14 residents were moved to The Chilton Moor pub for the night after a call for help from Durham County Council, with around four families, including one with a young baby, arriving at the hotel at about 9pm.

They were followed by four elderly residents who live near the scene, who had been cared for at the community centre and moved to the pub at around 10.30pm by the Red Cross. All were allowed to go home this morning.

Manager Elizabeth Dixon said: "I got a call from the council asking how many rooms I had and at first they wanted four, but might want two or three more.

"The residents seemed fine, I think they have been told everything they could about what had been going on.

"I moved the rooms around because I didn't want the elderly people upstairs, they were a little bit unsteady on their feet and I checked on them to make sure they were all right.

"We tried to make them comfortable."

Michael Lazzari, 41, of Lambourne Court in the village, said: "I came home from work at 6pm and there was just police tape, police vans, police cars everywhere and there were a lot of people and a lot of crowds standing around having a look.

"Cars were stopped from going in and out.

"It was about 7pm when I came back from going out again and I couldn't come back in here so I had to leave my car over the other side.

"Someone said it was a bomb, but the police weren't saying anything."

Durham Assistant Chief Constable Michael Banks said: "Our actions were in the best interest of public safety and every effort was made to keep the disruption to a minimum.

"As soon as it became clear no offence had been committed and there was no danger to the public we were able to return to normality.

"I would like to thank the residents of Burnmoor for their patience and support."