Shrewsbury Flower Show organisers thank townspeople for support after 'bomb hoax' shut down show
Shrewsbury Flower Show organisers have thanked the businesses and individuals who supported visitors when a 'bomb hoax' forced the showground to be evacuated.
The Quarry in Shrewsbury had to be evacuated shortly before 7pm on Friday after police received a report of "suspicious packages" from an anonymous caller.
The showground remained out of bounds for the rest of the evening while security teams worked to sweep the 29-acre site.
Amanda Jones, on behalf of the show committee, said: “After the dreadful turn of events on Friday evening, we would like to give a massive shout-out to the many residents, bars and businesses who helped out.
“From offering teas and coffees to the police and our security team, to extending opening hours to help people who could not get back to their stalls or vehicles - they were all fantastic.
“A huge logistical operation swung into action in the early hours of Saturday to secure all the catering stands and units, turning off electricity and Calor gas bottles and then ensuring they were working on Saturday. It was just brilliant.
“We also need to say a big thank you to the teams who travelled many miles to test, check and secure the site so that the many thousands of visitors could enjoy the second day of the show.”
The flower show team say they have received many messages from visitors and traders, praising the security operation which oversaw the evacuation.
Maelor Owen, who chairs the committee, said no one knew how long the showground would need to be closed on Friday evening while the Ministry of Defence and other security experts carried out their search.
He said: “It turned out to be longer than we initially expected. We are all sincerely sorry for the inconvenience caused by the idiot who made the hoax call, ruining the enjoyment of thousands of people.
“It’s also heartbreaking when so many people have worked so hard, for so many months, to put together what we feel was still another wonderful show.
“We must not be beaten by those mean-spirited individuals who try to sabotage the enjoyment of others. We’d like to thank the traders for their patience and understanding, and look forward to welcoming everyone back next year.”
The police also extended their thanks to show-goers. West Mercia Police Superintendent Damian Pettit said: “A huge amount of work goes into planning events like this for the community.
"I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone who was at the show for their cooperation, which meant that the site was evacuated quickly and safely.
“I’d also like to thank the event organisers who worked closely with us on Friday evening and have not hesitated to put the safety of the public first.”
