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| Man held after city centre blast | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| An explosive device has detonated at a restaurant in an Exeter shopping mall. | |
| One person, believed to be responsible for detonating the device, was hurt in the blast at 1250 BST in the Giraffe restaurant in the Princesshay centre. | |
| A police spokesman said a 22-year-old man was in custody with "slight injuries" including lacerations to his eye and some facial burning. | |
| Officers evacuated the city's bus station and extended an exclusion cordon 100 metres around the scene. | |
| The cordon includes Bedford Square, High Street, Queen Street and Paris Street. | |
| Police then investigated reports of three other devices in Exeter city centre following calls from members of the public but said "no further device had been found". | Police then investigated reports of three other devices in Exeter city centre following calls from members of the public but said "no further device had been found". |
| Bomb disposal officers are preparing to enter the restaurant and once they declare the area safe police officers will to go in to begin examining the scene. | Bomb disposal officers are preparing to enter the restaurant and once they declare the area safe police officers will to go in to begin examining the scene. |
| It's all a bit scary that it happened here Alison Fewens | It's all a bit scary that it happened here Alison Fewens |
| Stores in the area have been asked to retain any CCTV footage in case it is needed at a later date. | Stores in the area have been asked to retain any CCTV footage in case it is needed at a later date. |
| Juliet Joffe, a director of Giraffe, confirmed to the BBC a "small explosion" had occurred in the restaurant. | Juliet Joffe, a director of Giraffe, confirmed to the BBC a "small explosion" had occurred in the restaurant. |
| She said the restaurant was evacuated "quickly and efficiently". | She said the restaurant was evacuated "quickly and efficiently". |
| Ms Joffe said: "All we know at present is there was an explosion in the Giraffe in Princesshay and the Princesshay has been evacuated. Nobody in the restaurant has been injured apart from the person who set it off." | |
| Eyewitness Peter Lacey, who was in the restaurant with his wife, told BBC News: "There were three explosions. It is my impression they sounded more like gunshots than a bomb, like a lightbulb exploding. | Eyewitness Peter Lacey, who was in the restaurant with his wife, told BBC News: "There were three explosions. It is my impression they sounded more like gunshots than a bomb, like a lightbulb exploding. |
| "They came from a locked toilet." | "They came from a locked toilet." |
| Alison Fewins, 27, from Exeter, was shopping with her friend, Louise Platt, also 27, when the incident happened. | Alison Fewins, 27, from Exeter, was shopping with her friend, Louise Platt, also 27, when the incident happened. |
| Devon and Cornwall police hold a news conference | Devon and Cornwall police hold a news conference |
| Ms Fewins said: "We were about three or four shops away when we felt a vibration and heard a noise which we thought was building work. | Ms Fewins said: "We were about three or four shops away when we felt a vibration and heard a noise which we thought was building work. |
| "I am a bit shaken. It's all a bit scary that it happened here." | "I am a bit shaken. It's all a bit scary that it happened here." |
| Devon and Cornwall Police said more resources are being sent to the area. | Devon and Cornwall Police said more resources are being sent to the area. |
| Assistant Chief Constable Bob Spencer said: "We are carrying out a careful evacuation of the premises using the police and other emergency services that are at the scene. | Assistant Chief Constable Bob Spencer said: "We are carrying out a careful evacuation of the premises using the police and other emergency services that are at the scene. |
| "We will update the people of Exeter about what has happened as soon as we can. | "We will update the people of Exeter about what has happened as soon as we can. |
| "In the meantime, I'd urge motorists to stay away from the city centre area and road delays are likely." | "In the meantime, I'd urge motorists to stay away from the city centre area and road delays are likely." |
| The £230m Princesshay development officially opened last September. The scheme has been heralded as the biggest single investment in regeneration in the city's history. | The £230m Princesshay development officially opened last September. The scheme has been heralded as the biggest single investment in regeneration in the city's history. |
| It contains a mix of shops, restaurants and apartments. | It contains a mix of shops, restaurants and apartments. |
| Are you in Exeter? Did you witness the explosion or the aftermath? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Are you in Exeter? Did you witness the explosion or the aftermath? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |
| You can also send pictures and video to: | You can also send pictures and video to: |
| yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. If you have a large file you can upload here.Click here to see terms and conditions | yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. If you have a large file you can upload here.Click here to see terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |