City roads reopen after bomb disposal investigation

A bomb disposal van parked on High School Yards in Edinburgh. The van is white, with a yellow and blue stripe round it. It has the words Bomb Disposal in black lettering on the side. A thin line of white and blue police tape is in the foreground.

Bomb disposal crews have shut off High School Yards near the Cowgate in Edinburgh

Several streets have reopened in Edinburgh after an investigation by bomb disposal crews.

Explosives experts shut off High School Yards near the Cowgate, while a nearby Salvation Army hostel was evacuated on Tuesday afternoon.

Police Scotland put several road closures in place and urged pedestrians and motorists to avoid the area.

The force later confirmed that "non-hazardous substances", which sparked the alert after they were discovered at a property in The Pleasance, were not found to be harmful.

A spokesperson said: "There was no threat to the wider public."

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