A MAN sparked a town centre evacuation last night after walking into a police station with a plastic bag full of explosives.

The man went into Peterlee police station, in County Durham, at about 5.30pm and handed over the bag, containing five 18in long by 1in diameter tubes covered in black plastic.

Police immediately put the bag in the station's dog kennels and evacuated the building and a public leisure centre next door.

A 100-metre area around the station was cordoned off and a prisoner housed in the cells was transferred to Durham City police station.

The Royal Logistics Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team, from Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, got there at 6.45pm and took the items away for safe disposal, without carrying out any controlled explosions.

Inspector Peter Foster, of Durham Police, said about 30 staff at the police station and about ten at the leisure centre were evacuated, plus members of the public.

They were allowed back into the buildings and to retrieve parked vehicles at 7.40pm.

Insp Foster said the bag contained a substantial quantity of commercial explosives of the kind used in the mining industry.

They had belonged to the man's grandfather, a miner, who died seven years ago.

"It would make a hell of a crack if it goes off," he said, adding that officers had searched the man's house in Peterlee.

"We were satisfied that no crimes had been committed by anybody that was still alive."

Acting Inspector Paul Colling, officer in charge at the scene, said: "This is not an everyday incident. It has to be stressed that the safety of all persons - public, police and prisoners - is a top priority.

"It is regrettable if any persons were inconvenienced."