2nd LD Writethru: Controlled explosion carried out after Manchester United game cancelled

A controlled explosion was carried out on Sunday at the Old Trafford stadium after the ground was evacuated shortly before Manchester United's final league game of the season.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed via a tweet that a controlled explosion took place within the stadium by bomb disposal experts.

The Manchester United's match against Bournemouth, which was due to kick off at 3 o'clock p.m., was abandoned after two stands were cleared due to reports of a "suspect package".

It was the Sir Alex Ferguson North Stand and the Stretford End that were evacuated at about 2:30 p.m. - equating to more than half the 75,600-seater stadium.

Fans in the other two stands were initially told to remain in their seats but were cleared following the decision to call off the match.

"Due to the discovery of a suspect package in the NW Quadrant of the ground, the match has been abandoned today on police advice," Manchester United tweeted.

An "operation code red" alert was heard at the stadium shortly before the kick-off, according to the club.

There are unconfirmed reports of a second suspect package as army bomb disposal units and sniffer dog teams continue to investigate.

The Premier League said it would rearrange the game as soon as is "practically possible" - though this will be made more difficult by Manchester United's participation in next weekend's FA Cup final. Endit