Suspect device in Old Trafford controlled explosion was dummy left behind after training exercise

Greater Manchester Police say the 'incredibly lifelike' device was destroyed in a controlled explosion

Manchester United fans leave the Old Trafford stadium (Getty)

Manchester United’s final Premier League fixture of the season at Old Trafford was abandoned following the discovery of ‘an incredibly lifelike, but non-viable explosive device’ inside the stadium.

Following a controlled explosion of the device - understood to have been a mobile phone taped to a gas pipe in toilets in Old Trafford’s North West Quadrant - by the Royal Logistic Corps Bomb Disposal Unit, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the suspect package was a dummy bomb, accidentally left behind after being used in a training exercise involving sniffer dogs and run by a private security company.

With the package discovered while United and AFC Bournemouth players warmed up prior to kick-off, an Operation Code Red was enacted by Old Trafford’s match day operations and security team at 2.40pm, prompting the evacuation of the Stretford End and North Stand before confirmation of the match being abandoned was issued at 3.15pm.

United had been expecting a capacity crowd in excess of 75,000 for the fixture

With security levels at a heightened state of alert throughout the United Kingdom due to ongoing threats from Islamic State, al-Qaeda and intelligence warning of attempts to target the mainland from Irish paramilitary groups, Premier League stadia have noticeably stepped up security measures in recent months in the wake of the Paris attacks last November.

But the abandonment of Sunday’s game at Old Trafford was the first time a Premier League fixture has been called off due to security concerns.

Last November’s international friendly between Germany and Holland in Hanover was abandoned an hour before kick-off due to ‘concrete intelligence’ that an attack was being planned at the fixture, just four days after the deadly attacks in Paris which were instigated by a suicide bomber at the Stade de France during France’s game against Germany.

With Sunday due to be the final weekend of the league season, efforts are now being made to re-stage the game at the earliest possible opportunity

Sniffer dogs at the scene at Old Trafford following the stadium evacuation (Reuters)

Damage caused to the stadium by the controlled detination of the suspect device has ruled out Monday as a potential date, prompting the Bournemouth squad to fly back to the South Coast on Sunday evening, leaving Tuesday as the most likely date.

“The decision to abandon the Manchester United versus AFC Bournemouth match was taken after the police advised of the necessity to deal with a suspect package,” a Premier League statement said

“The Premier League will seek to rearrange the fixture as soon as practically possible and will advise fans accordingly

“It is always the last resort to abandon one of our fixtures and while we apologise for the inconvenience caused to fans we are sure, in the circumstances, they will appreciate the need to do so.”

Fans expressed their astonishment and their outrage after they discovered the reason for the cancellation of the match.

But others saw the funny side:

The rescheduled match against Bournemouth will now take place at 8pm on Tuesday.

While both clubs are keen for the game to be re-staged in front of watching spectators, the time constraints involved could yet see it played behind closed doors.

United are due to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday and broadcasting restrictions imposed by Uefa are likely to prevent the Bournemouth game being replayed on Wednesday - the day of the Europa League final between Liverpool and Sevilla in Basel.