Bomb disposal unit at bus station after 'alert'

Police have cordoned off city centre streets in Chester

A city's railway and bus station have been evacuated due to a bomb scare.

Chester station closed at about 18:00 GMT and a police cordon was put up around it, with no buses running from the nearby bus interchange.

National Rail has confirmed some train lines have resumed after the station was closed following the alert.

According to eyewitnesses, the city's bus station has also been sealed off by police, with bomb disposal vans pictured close to the incident.

A bomb disposal unit was seen by the police cordon in Chester

Train operator Northern confirmed the line had been "blocked" due to the alert, but its services have since restarted.

Merseyrail and Avanti West Coast routes from London Euston have been affected, and Transport for Wales services to Cardiff, Crewe, Manchester, and Wolverhampton.

A number of trains have been delayed or cancelled while police deal with the incident, National Rail has said.

Passengers have been told to expect "major disruption" until about 22:00 GMT, with cancellations and delays.

National Rail said trains had been cancelled and services would likely be affected until about 22:00 GMT

No bus services are currently serving the station or the interchange due to the incident, a spokesman for Stagecoach said.

BBC News has approached Cheshire Police and British Transport Police for comment.