Colchester Magistrates Court has been evacuated after a suspect package was left outside.

A sports bag with wires coming out of it was found outside the court at St Botolph's in Colchester.

Court staff, solicitors and defendants were all asked to leave the building while police investigated.

Defendants being held in the cells of the court were also accompanied out of the building.

Police were called and court staff and defendants were allowed to return to the court at 1pm after it was established the package was not dangerous.