Part of Dover's main street was closed off on Thursday night, and people were evacuated from their homes, while army experts carried out a series of controlled explosions on a suspicious car.

The vehicle, parked near the Territorial Army Centre in London Road, could not be accounted for and the owner could not be traced.

London Road, between Beaconsfield Road and Cherry Tree Avenue, was sealed off, and traffic was diverted.

An army bomb disposal team was called in and shops and homes were evacuated while the controlled explosion was carried out.

Subsequent inspections showed there was nothing sinister in the car, which was later towed away.