Torquay bomb alert: Two held under Terrorism Act

Two men, one of them aged 18, were last night being detained under the Terrorism Act at an undisclosed location in the Westcountry.

The announcement came after residents were evacuated and a road cordoned off while explosives experts searched an address in Torquay.

Police played down the arrests as "precautionary" and insisted there was no "imminent threat to any person or property in the local area".

However, the South East counter terrorism unit has travelled down to the region to assist with the investigation.

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It is understood other properties were being searched today.

Devon and Cornwall's assistant chief constable Sharon Taylor said the force had detained two "local men" but was not looking for anyone else.

She said there was "nothing to suggest" the men were involved in anything outside the local area.

"The investigation is at an early stage – we will be taking a couple of days to interview them and gather the full picture," she added.

An 18-year-old man from Torquay was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of criminal damage related to a spray-painting.

Following interviews with the man – who was also questioned about a series of arson attacks in the town – a warrant was issued to search an address in Lymington Road, yesterday, which required the evacuation of a small number of neighbouring properties.

A second man, aged 20, and also from the town, was later arrested and both were held under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which allows a police officer to arrest anyone he "reasonably suspects" to be a terrorist.

No explosives or bomb-making equipment were found but information found in the house raised the alert.