Shoppers have fled the Manchester Arndale Centre in a state of panic after fireworks were let off in the mall.
According to terrified people caught up in the chaos explosives were let off in the shopping centre at around 4.35pm this afternoon.
Shannon Jaques described the incident as "the most terrifying experience of my life."
"There was a loud bang and everyone in the centre started running for their lives assuming the worst," she said.
"I got locked in a back room in the shop I was in with other people until the staff knew what was happening.
"Armed police showed up."
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Chris Bennion said he was stood in front of two men who he claimed threw the fireworks.
"One threw one from what I remember and it went off right in front of us," he told MirrorOnline.
"A second earlier and it would have it probably hit all five of us.
Mr Benninon said he and his four companions were in "complete panic" and ran into a store.
One woman recorded a similar experience on Twitter.
She said: "Came into the Arndale to do some early Christmas shopping only to be evacuated due to two p***** letting off fireworks!!
"Honestly I don’t think I have been that scared before in my life, there were people panicking and crying which made me immediately think the worst."
Another social media user added: "Idiots setting off fireworks in the Arndale centre and we got evacuated out the back of the shop thinking it was a terror attack."
The incident left some people seriously shaken.
"My friend who works in Manchester just called crying saying he was hiding cos there had just been a really loud bang in the Arndale," another woman wrote online.
"Everyone was running, screaming and crying just to find that it was some idiot that was letting off fireworks inside?"
Great Manchester Police confirmed they responded to the incident.
"Enquiries have since established that a number of fireworks were set off," the force said in a statement.
"No arrests have been made and enquiries are still ongoing."
David Allinson, Centre Director of Manchester Arndale, said: “We can confirm that an incident took place at Manchester Arndale this afternoon, when an individual set off fireworks in the centre.
"The safety of our shoppers and staff is always our first priority and we have been supporting the police in their response. The centre is open as normal.”
Just last month the Arndale centre was plunged into lockdown when three people were stabbed.
People ran for the exits and locked themselves into shops to avoid the alleged attacker while armed police secured the premises.
Many in Manchester will remember June 15, 1996 when an IRA bomb inside a lorry was let off outside the centre, injuring 200 and throwing a pregnant woman through the air.
