Man in 'fitness vest' sparks Bournemouth Uni terror alert

Bournemouth University's Talbot Campus was on lockdown for about 30 minutes and has since reopened

A man wearing a fitness vest is believed to have sparked a terror alert on a university campus.

Police were called to the site in Poole, Dorset, at 14:33 GMT amid reports of a man wearing a suicide vest and "covered in blood".

CCTV images suggested the man was using the vest for exercise and there was no threat to the public, police said.

Bournemouth University shut down its Talbot Campus for about 30 minutes while police searched the area.

Fitness vests are types of gilets, or sleeveless padded jackets, that have specially designed pockets or pouches enabling the wearer to carry extra weights to aid with resistance training. 

They are intended to create more resistance for the wearer when they are exercising to give them a more difficult workout.

Students initially posted on social media that they were being kept inside their buildings because of a suspected terrorism incident involving a man described as having a suicide vest, a gun or a knife.

In a statement, Dorset Police said the man was seen in the area of the Boundary roundabout near the campus.

Police added: "A review of CCTV footage... established that it was believed to be someone running in a fitness vest.

"The lockdown has now been lifted and we do not believe there is any further cause for concern or threat to the public."