'The police knocked and we had to evacuate'

The non-suspicious death of a "reclusive" man sparked a chain of events which has seen more than 200 people evacuated from their homes in Merseyside.

Police found suspected "explosive ordnance" in a property on Chadwick Street in St Helens on Tuesday after the death of John Nelson, 64.

Mr Nelson's home was packed with wartime memorabilia including detonators which officers feared could pose a risk of exploding.

Julie Pemberton, whose home backed onto the street, told the BBC the police knocked on her door unexpectedly at about 14:50 BST.

Mrs Pemberton said: "They said 'we need you to evacuate your premises', and I said 'when?' and they said 'pretty much now'".

"I got my dogs and their stuff and just left, without anything for myself thinking it would only be a few hours, but here we are, still."

She said on Tuesday night she stayed with family in the Bolton area, while her husband slept at his sister's house.

"Her house isn't big enough for the dogs and everything so it's just bit of a nightmare," she said.

Mrs Pemberton spoke while waiting for an alloted time to go and collect belongings from her house, with Merseyside Police saying the search of Mr Nelson's home could take some time.

"After that who knows, I could be sleeping in my car", she said.

Army bomb disposal experts have carried out a series of controlled explosions on Eccleston Field close to the estate.

However a police spokesperson said the ongoing search was "challenging" due to the number of items in Mr Nelson's home.

Some of the ordnance is believed to date back to World War Two as Mr Nelson's father was reportedly in the Home Guard, the force said.

Merseyside Police also said they had been unable to identify any immediate relatives of Mr Nelson and urged any extended family to get in touch.

St Helens Council has set up a reception area at the nearby Chain Lane Community Centre for displaced residents.

Councillor Anthony Burns, leader of St Helens Council, said anyone needing support or refreshments should attend the centre where council officers could help with alternative accommodation.

"We understand this has been a very disrupting and frustrating situation for those who have been displaced from their homes," he said.

"I would like to thank all those community members and groups, especially Chain Lane Community Centre, who have come together to support the residents who have been affected, by providing refreshments and a place to rest."

Motorists and pedestrians were advised to avoid the road while emergency services remained at the scene.

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