Who caused Bristol city centre bomb scare?

A police operation is under way to trace the person responsible for sparking a bomb scare in Bristol.

Thousands of shoppers and store workers were evacuated for more than three hours when a metal case was left on a bench in The Podium, Broadmead, on Monday.

A bomb disposal team was called in and destroyed the case, which is understood to have been empty.

It is thought a CCTV operator spotted someone leaving the suspicious package behind at 11.30am and alerted police.

The cost of the incident is likely to run into tens of thousands of pounds in policing and lost revenue for the 65 shops forced to close on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset police said: "Inquiries are ongoing but we don't know if the case was put down accidentally or on purpose."

Anyone with information should contact the police on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.