A 'hoax' bomb threat saw guests evacuated and the Army called in to search Brighton's iconic Grand Hotel.

Police received an anonymous phone call at around 4.30pm claiming there was an explosive at the venue - but at 9.15pm the tip-off had been declared a hoax.

The nearby conference venue the Brighton Centre was also evacuated as it shares a wall with the hotel, but police say it was nothing to do with the alert.

The TUC conference is currently taking place there and the Labour Party will be returning to the south coast for their conference in two weeks.

Five people were killed at the hotel, which sits on the city's seafront, in October 1984 when the IRA's Patrick Magee planted a bomb there during the Conservative Party conference.

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Brighton's Grand Hotel was evacuated amid reports of a 'credible bomb threat'

Police received a phone call at around 4.30pm today saying there was an explosive device at the hotel, but at 9.15pm it was declared a hoax

Guests at the hotel were evacuated at around 5pm and were put on lockdown at the Hilton next door.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: 'Police have been working with management at the Grand Hotel in Kings Road, Brighton after an anonymous phone call was received at the hotel at 4.30pm alleging that there was an explosive device there.

'Hotel management decided to evacuate the hotel, a decision supported by the police, and the hotel was swiftly and safely evacuated.

'Thorough searches and enquiries are taking place to establish as soon as possible whether or not the call is a genuine one.

'Nothing untoward has been found at this time.

'In the meantime roads and car parks in the immediate vicinity have been closed as part of the precautions.'

Police shouted at people to 'take cover' as they feared the threat of the bomb was 'imminent'.

The emergency services ordered people at surrounding restaurant and bars to take hard cover, including those attending TUC's event.

Army bomb disposal officers were also called to the scene to work with police.

Officers patrolled Brighton's seafront while bomb disposal experts worked to establish the source of the threat

Nearby roads and car parks were also cordoned off and guests were moved to the Hilton Hotel next door at around 5pm. They were put on 'lockdown' at the nearby Hilton

Nearby conference venue The Brighton Centre was evacuated along with guests and staff of The Grand Hotel (pictured)

But just under five hours after the initial call, officers called off the search.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: 'The search of the Grand Hotel ended at 9.15pm on Sunday evening without anything suspicious being found, and staff and guests began to re-enter the hotel.

'Thorough searches took place with the assistance of specially trained police search advisers, local officers, police dogs, and military ordnance disposal experts, in order to establish as soon as possible whether or not the call was a genuine one.

'Nothing untoward was found and the call is being regarded as a hoax.'



Chief Superintendent Lisa Bell added: 'It was important that this report was thoroughly looked into, and we are grateful for the patience and understanding of staff, guests, and people using the nearby car parks, whose afternoon and evening was disrupted.

'A comprehensive criminal investigation is underway to trace the person responsible for the call.

'We are not disclosing any details of the call, but certain lines of enquiry are being actively followed.'

The spokesman added that cordons are now being removed.

The IRA bombing at the hotel took place on October 12 1984 in a bid to kill Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet.

The late Prime Minister survived but sitting MP Sir Anthony Berry was murdered, along with four others. A further 31 people were injured.

The IRA bomb at the hotel on October 12 1984 killed five people, including a sitting Conservative MP. Patrick Magee planted the bomb during the party conference in a bid to kill Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet

Margaret Thatcher remained defiant after the bombing. Pictured with her husband Dennis she slammed the explosion as a 'failed attack on democracy'

Mrs Thatcher did her speech the morning after the bombing as planned. But instead of using it to attack the Labour Party, she said the explosion was 'a plan to cripple Her Majesty's democratically elected Government'.

She said: 'That is the scale of the outrage in which we have all shared, and the fact that we are gathered here now—shocked, but composed and determined—is a sign not only that this attack has failed, but that all attempts to destroy democracy by terrorism will fail.'

The IRA claimed responsibility for the attack the following day, saying: 'Mrs Thatcher will now realise that Britain cannot occupy our country and torture our prisoners and shoot our people in their own streets and get away with it.

'Today we were unlucky, but remember we only have to be lucky once. You will have to be lucky always. Give Ireland peace and there will be no more war.'

Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Unite union leader Len McCluskey are currently in Brighton.

A TUC delagate told the Brighton Argus: 'We've not been told what is going on. They just put out an announcement telling everyone to leave.

'We'd already heard there was a security threat at The Grand. Nobody knows how serious it is.'

Revolution Bar just off the seafront was one of several places that offered help to those moved from the hotel and conference centre.