Package blown up in Barclays scare

Two controlled explosions were carried out yesterday on a suspect package found outside a branch of Barclays. The package turned out later to be a bag of rubbish, but a bank spokesman said: "You cannot take any chances."

The two detonations were carried out by explosives experts as fire and ambulance services were called to the scene. Roads surrounding the bank in Weybridge, Surrey, were closed and the area sealed off.

An extortionist calling himself Mardi Gra has posted or planted 25 devices to Barclays over the last 16 months. In an incident two weeks ago a device exploded outside a branch in Ealing, west London.