A shopping centre has been evacuated after a “small incendiary device went off” in a bin, police have said.
The “deliberately” planted device was found at the Fishergate Shopping Centre in Preston at around 9:10am.
Lancashire police said an evacuation was ordered as a precautionary measure after the device went off, causing minimal damage to the bin but no injuries.
Chief Super Intendant James Lee told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I would describe it as a small incendiary device which could have caused damage or injury to someone had it fully gone off.
"There's no other issues or intelligence to suggest anything else will happen in Preston, it's just purely Fishergate centre, and we need to make sure it is safe and secure for people to go back into."
An Army bomb disposal unit has been assisting with the investigations.
Before midday the shopping centre tweeted:
A police spokesman said: "We think that the device was put in bin the deliberately and our concern is that it could have caused injury. Thankfully it didn't.
“The safety of the public is our top priority and so the Fishergate Centre has been evacuated as a precaution and is currently closed. The rest of Preston town centre remains open for business.
“Our colleagues from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) have been called to assist us with our inquiries and to help in the disposal of the device."
Preston Police have since said Fishergate is now open for vehicle and pedestrian traffic past the shopping centre.
They add that Ringway/Corporation Street is also open.
