PEOPLE were told to leave their homes in the early hours of this morning, after police found "hazardous material" in a Selby flat.

Homes were evacuated and people taken to temporary shelters, after police found what they thought was a hazardous material in Cockret Court, on Cockret Road.

It has now been deemed safe, and people are back in their homes.

Officers had started to search the property after a 60-year-old man was arrested just before 3pm on Friday, on suspicion of racial/ religious aggravated harassment and criminal damage.

Neighbouring flats were evacuated and a 100m cordon went up on the early hours.

Neighbours say they were woken by the sound of engines running at around 2.30am and looked out of the window to see the police and fire service on the scene.

Darren Turner, who lives close by, said he and his wife saw fire fighters going in and out of the flats and a military bomb disposal team arrive.

York Press:

Darren Turner, who lives near Cockret Court

Residents in the flat block were moved out of their homes, but Mr Turner heard police officers say people in neighbouring houses were safe where they were. 

A cordon went up blocking off Cockret Road's junction with Charles street as well as the neighbouring residential streets of Hollywood and Kent Road for around two hours, he added.

Another neighbour said she had seen police taking evidence out of the flats at around 11pm last night.

The cordon has now been lifted but police are still on the scene, with an officer guarding the entrance to the building. 

A police spokesman said: "In a multi-agency investigation, the suspected hazardous materials found at a property were later deemed to be safe and residents have been allowed to return to their homes."

The investigation is ongoing and the 60-year-old man is still in custody, they added.