A SERIES of controlled explosions have taken place after suspicious items were found opposite The Oratory School.

Specialist police crews descended on the patch of woodland by Exlade Street on Wednesday morning and a cordon remained in place throughout Thursday as specialist officers made the scene safe.

Neighbours reported hearing a booming sound at around 8.30pm on Wednesday and seeing police combing the scene with sniffer dogs.

A spokesman for the force confirmed they had undertaken a number of controlled explosions.

Supt Rory Freeman, Local Police Area Commander for South and Vale, said: "I would like to thank people in the community for their patience while work has been undertaken to ensure the items are safe.

"We take all reports of this nature seriously, particularly in the current climate, as these items had a suspicious appearance and were reported to police by a member of the public. They are not believed to be viable however further expert analysis will be conducted to establish what they are and the circumstances of how they came to be there.

"Any who has any information should please call 101."

A stretch of Exlade Street between the Highway Man Inn and the junction with the A4074 was closed but has now reopened.

Paul Burrows, owner of the nearby Highwayman Inn, said: "Lots of police cars arrived and we heard an explosion at about 8.30pm last night but they [police] are still there, it's obviously ordnance.

"25 years ago they found an IRA stash around here but I think it's World War Two stuff this time.

"They could be securing it or double checking."