Police rushed to a Patchway shopping complex after reports of a suspicious item.
A heavy police presence was spotted in the car park of The Mall, Cribbs Causeway, just before 2pm today (October 4).
An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said Cribbs Causeway security had taped off a section of the car park because of safety concerns.
He added: "It was a suspicious item and security put a cordon in place, but it was just a bag of rubbish.
"They didn’t know what it was at first. That was why they put the cordon in place.
"Police attended and it turned out to be harmless."
The cordon was in the part of the car park used for Young Driver under-17 driving lessons.
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