Two arrests as university buildings cordoned off

4 days ago

News image — A wider cordon was reduced to one section outside the King George VI building

BBC A female police officer standing in front of a large, red brick building with large windows. The building's glass door has been taped off with blue and white police tape. There is more tape directly behind the police officer who is has tied back brown hair and is wearing a hi-vis yellow vest and black trousers. — A wider cordon was reduced to one section outside the King George VI building

Two men have been arrested following reports of a suspicious item at a university.

A large police cordon was erected around a section of Newcastle University, closing roads surrounding the Kings Road area of the campus, including St Thomas' Street and Brewery Lane.

Streets surrounding the university, as well as the nearby Royal Victoria Infirmary, were taped off by the force, causing disruption on and around campus.

Northumbria Police said it had been called to the site on Kings Road at 14:10 BST. By 18:00 it said the cordon had been lifted, apart from a section outside the university's Muslim prayer space.

A university spokesperson said a small number of its buildings had been temporarily evacuated.

The prayer space is in an annex in the university's King George VI building, although the wider building was not closed off.

Police said two men, aged 21 and 43, had been arrested on suspicion of communicating false information and had now been released with no further action.

A force spokesperson said searches had been carried out but "have since been stood down".

A female and male police officer standing with their backs to the camera, facing a road which slopes upwards. The female officer is on the left and has blonde, short hair tied in a ponytail. The man looks to have no hair underneath his tall police hat. Both are wearing yellow hi-vis vests which say Police on the pack in a blue box and black tops underneath. The street is lined with terraced houses on both sides. — The cordon surrounding the wider university has been lifted

Correction 6 October 2026: Based on information provided by police, an earlier version of this story said a 33-year-old man had been arrested and remained in police custody. Police have since clarified two men, aged 21 and 43, were arrested and have been released with no further action.

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