Hoax bomb threat closes racecourse

Spectators were told to leave the stands and bars

A coded bomb threat which forced the evacuation of a race meeting at Uttoxeter was a hoax, say course officials.

About 7,000 racegoers were evacuated from the stands with just one race of Saturday's afternoon meeting remaining.

A telephone warning of a bomb at the course came as the seven runners were taking part in the 1510GMT, the stanleybet.co.uk Handicap Chase.

Uttoxeter's general manager Rod Street said the caller claimed to be from the IRA.

We had a bomb warning which we had to take seriously

Rod Street, race course general manager

However, a thorough search of the grounds by about 40 Staffordshire police, sniffer dogs, and army bomb diposal experts revealed nothing.

Mr Street said police had called off their search and the racecourse was given the all clear after about four hours.

He said the warning that a bomb was planted in the stands had to be taken seriously.

"Four calls in a row were made giving a precise location and a code was given," said Mr Street.

"Public safety comes first. As usual the public were brilliant and responded to our request by evacuating promptly and courteously."

'Everything spoiled'

A spokesman for Staffordshire police said officers helped evacuate race spectators from bars and the course area.

"Within an hour the course was clear and during this time the officers made a search of a location that had been cited by the caller," he said.

"We cannot comment on any group that might have been behind the call unless we can prove its authenticity."

Course inspection followed alert

The owner of the track, Sir Stanley Clarke CBE, said: "It's a great pity this sort of thing happens as people are enjoying themselves.

"Everything has been spoiled, it's a great shame."

It is not the first time bomb scares have put paid to race meetings and one forced the 1997 Grand National to be cancelled.

The latest warning came less than a week after renegade Republicans, the Real IRA, released a New Year's message vowing to fight British rule in Ireland at "every level".