Peter Kay show evacuated after 'suspicious bag' found

A show by comedian Peter Kay in Birmingham has been evacuated and the venue searched after police investigated a "potential suspicious bag".

West Midlands Police said a 19-year-old man was in custody.

A statement from the Utilita Arena said "everyone was safely evacuated and that the venue is secure".

The comedian was about 45 minutes into his Friday night show when it was cut short.

Steve Aspinall was in the audience and told PA Media that two men had come on to the stage and one of them had whispered to Kay.

The comedian then "shot off down the side [of the stage]", Aspinall said.

The audience was told to look for security guards and listen out for announcements.

"To be honest, I thought it was part of the show at first," he said.

"It was a strange atmosphere, eerie, just confused really [about] what was happening.

"But it was alright and everyone was calm and left quite quickly with no panic."

Another attendee, Northampton pub landlady Miranda Richardson, said staff had told the crowd "due to unforeseen circumstances we all have to evacuate the arena straight away".

She told PA media that staff had "helped get people out and it was calm and swift".

"We heard very quickly someone had claimed a bag had been left somewhere. No messing, it was just all out."

Videos shared on social media showed crowds at the venue heading for the exits.

"The safety and security of our customers and colleagues is our highest priority", the venue said in a post on X.

"Ticket holders will be contacted directly in due course," it added.

Kay is due to perform at the arena again on Saturday.

On Thursday, the UK's terror threat level was lifted from "substantial" to "severe" for the first time in more than four years, following the stabbing of two Jewish men in London's Golders Green on Wednesday.

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