The "suspicious item" which was found on an Oldham street today (March 22) and led to a large police cordon has been revealed.

At around 12pm, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) shared on social media that a cordon was in place and several roads had been closed following reports of a suspicious item on Drake Close.

The cordon was in place along Henshaw Street, from around Anchor Street, up onto Crompton Street.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), or a bomb disposal team, assessed the scene, while ambulance and fire services were present as well.

Police revealed at around 1.50pm that the item was believed to be a commercial firework and that the EOD had taken it away and disposed of it.

Residents described the shock when emergency services arrived as they tried to work out what was going on.

One woman said: "I asked if someone had been shot or stabbed, as that’s usual round here, but then someone said bomb squad were out.

"Well, it is scary, it’s nerve-wracking. I’ve been here 40 years and raised my kids, there’s never been anything like that before." 

The Oldham Times: A bomb disposal vanA bomb disposal van (Image: Olivia Bridge, Newsquest)

Another resident said he was alarmed by all the emergency services but said "nobody would tell us anything" and that he assumed it was a gas leak or "some kind of explosion".

The cashier of the Best One shop on nearby Bar Gap Road said she didn’t know about the incident but saw lots of fire engines and police rushing past.

Once the item was discovered to be a firework, the cordon was lifted and emergency services left the scene.