A bomb scare at a bank which brought a town centre to a standstill was caused by a cardboard box and a concrete slab.

A suspicious package, linked to an earlier attempted robbery, was discovered at Santander in Sevenoaks High Street just before 1pm.

The police and the Army were alerted and the stretch of road and part of nearby London Road were evacuated and shut for more than five hours.

The bomb squad descended on the branch and established the package was a hoax.

Despite onlookers describing the moment the device was detonated, the Army insists no controlled explosion was carried out and the box was handed to Kent Police.