Residents have been evacuated from their homes after a bomb squad descended on two streets.
Home owners in Clark Street and Dover Street, Rochdale have said that a large area has been cordoned off by police.
The exact nature of the incident is not yet clear, Manchester Evening News reported.
Bomb disposal experts removed an item, the nature of which the Ministry of Defence would not disclose.
One resident said: "Dover street in Rochdale has been cornered off by police and they are evacuating the whole street.
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"A good neighbour of mine told me they won’t tell them if it’s a suspected bomb or what’s going on."
One person living in the area said they had been evacuated from their homes for around an hour, before emergency services said it was safe to go back inside.
A Royal Logistics Corps van is parked at the scene.
Crews from Manchester Fire Service are also reported to have been at the scene.
The emergency service response had mostly gone by 6.30pm.
An MoD spokesperson said: "An Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was called out to Rochdale at the request of local police and a team from the Royal Logistics Corps responded, with the item being safely removed.”
Greater Manchester Police has been contacted for comment.
More to follow.
