Man faces charges after 'bomb scare' which saw South Shields street evacuated

A man has been charged with several offences after dozens of homes were evacuated following a bomb scare in a South Shields street.

By The Newsroom

Published 28th Aug 2016, 12:42 BST

Updated 28th Aug 2016, 16:51 BST

Police and bomb disposal teams at Lake Avenue, Marsden, South Shields.

Wayne Allen, 38, of Lake Avenue, Marsden, has been charged with a number of assaults and possessing a prohibited weapon - believed to be a home-made 'taser'.

He will appear at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday, August 30.

Scores of residents were forced to leave their homes in Lake Avenue in the early hours of Friday as officers and an army bomb disposal team from Catterick sealed off the area.

The response came after officers discovered what they said ‘gave the appearance of improvised explosives’ as they searched a property over an unrelated matter.

Police later said: "“While initially it appeared there may have been suspected improvised explosive devices in the premises, this has proved not to be the case."