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| Bomb disposal team deployed to AstraZeneca partner plant in Wales over suspicious package | Bomb disposal team deployed to AstraZeneca partner plant in Wales over suspicious package |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A bomb disposal unit has been called in to a Covid-19 vaccine production and storage plant in Wrexham, Wales after a suspicious package was found earlier. Wockhardt UK is a production partner to AstraZeneca. | A bomb disposal unit has been called in to a Covid-19 vaccine production and storage plant in Wrexham, Wales after a suspicious package was found earlier. Wockhardt UK is a production partner to AstraZeneca. |
| North Wales Police have put a cordon in place near the Wockhardt plant on the Wrexham Industrial estate and the public have been told to keep away. | North Wales Police have put a cordon in place near the Wockhardt plant on the Wrexham Industrial estate and the public have been told to keep away. |
| The company said it has partially evacuated the site pending a full investigation and vaccine production there has been halted during the security operation, but it intended to keep up with the “previously approved production schedule.” | |
| Pictures taken at the scene showed several police vehicles outside the plant and what appeared to be a bomb disposal robot being deployed. | Pictures taken at the scene showed several police vehicles outside the plant and what appeared to be a bomb disposal robot being deployed. |
| A local worker at a neighbouring business on the industrial estate told the BBC that he heard “a hell of an explosion or a bang” at around 11:35am GMT. | A local worker at a neighbouring business on the industrial estate told the BBC that he heard “a hell of an explosion or a bang” at around 11:35am GMT. |
| Footage posted to social media purportedly shows a bomb disposal robot in action at the site. | |
| The Wockhardt plant has the capacity to make and store doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, and can produce around 300 million shots of the jab a year. | The Wockhardt plant has the capacity to make and store doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, and can produce around 300 million shots of the jab a year. |
| “Wockhardt UK in Wrexham this morning received a suspicious package. Relevant authorities have responded and upon expert advice we have partially evacuated the site pending a full investigation,” the company said in a statement. | “Wockhardt UK in Wrexham this morning received a suspicious package. Relevant authorities have responded and upon expert advice we have partially evacuated the site pending a full investigation,” the company said in a statement. |
| A spokesperson for North Wales Police confirmed they are dealing with an “ongoing incident” at the industrial estate and that nearby roads have been closed. | A spokesperson for North Wales Police confirmed they are dealing with an “ongoing incident” at the industrial estate and that nearby roads have been closed. |
| UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the Wrexham site in November as it prepared to start production of the AstraZeneca jab. He said the facility could provide "salvation for humanity" in the form of the Covid vaccine. | UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the Wrexham site in November as it prepared to start production of the AstraZeneca jab. He said the facility could provide "salvation for humanity" in the form of the Covid vaccine. |
| A Downing Street spokesperson said the UK Prime Minister was receiving regular updates on the situation and Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said his government was working with local police and the military. | |
| DETAILS TO FOLLOW | DETAILS TO FOLLOW |