Police dismiss false Telford terror threat claim
Police officers have dismissed online rumours that suggest Telford is being targeted by terrorists.
West Mercia Police said it had received a number of calls in relation to an alleged threat to the town during the Christmas and New Year period.
Some messages online claimed that people should stay away from the Telford and Wellington town areas over the festive season due to a possible terror attack.
Rumours began to circulate on social media and police were informed of the alleged risk.
Officers have now urged residents to stay calm as there is "nothing to substantiate any threat to the public".
Officers posted an online message which read: "Inquiries have been made into this and we can reassure the public that there is nothing to substantiate any threat to the public.
"We are aware of rumours circulating on social media and therefore would like to offer this reassurance."
Inspector Tracy Ryan, of West Mercia Police, urged residents to check facts online via hoax-slayer.com before spreading the rumour.
The messages claimed that a woman found a wallet at the Christmas market in Birmingham with a sizeable amount of cash inside and returned it to its owner.
Supposedly, to show gratitude for the wallet's return, the owner warned the woman that she should not go near Telford on New Year's Eve or "maybe Christmas".
Inspector Ryan said the hoax linked a number of locations with a potential terror threat.
She added: "It's one of those hoax rumours that goes around online every know and again.
"People take this stuff at face value so they share them without checking and before you know it residents are worried.
"I would urge people to check their facts by doing a quick google search of via hoax-slayer.com to find out if it is a hoax.
"We got a couple of calls about this one this week.
"It seems that this rumour is applied to a different place every week. Last week it was somewhere like Yorkshire.
"Spreading false rumours will increase fear and alarm," she added.
The same hoax has also been circulated online by residents in Sydney, Australia, causing public concern following the hostage attack there earlier this week.
