POLICE handling of an "elaborate" bomb hoax – which brought the town to a dramatic standstill last week – has been criticised by Macclesfield MP Sir Nicholas Winterton.

An anonymous phone call claiming explosives had been planted inside a bin near a McDonald’s drive-through sparked chaos for commuters last Wednesday (November 12), after all stores within a 100-metre radius were evacuated and road blocks set up for several hours.

Speaking later on Silk FM, Sir Nicholas called the police response "overkill".

But Inspector Gareth Woods, head of Macclesfield Neighbourhood Policing Unit, said the incident was dealt with "extremely well", with the necessary action taken to safeguard the community.

Officers were called to the McDonald’s, near Hulley Road Retail Park, at 3.20pm and swiftly closed the Silk Road, Brocklehurst Way and Hulley Road as a precaution.

The Explosive Ordinance Division of the army carried out a controlled explosion, before confirming the hoax.

Insp Woods said: "I feel the comments made by Sir Nick are quite damaging – not just to the police but the emergency services and public.  It was dealt with really well – as a matter of course the army are called to deal with bomb disposal."

The original phone call has been traced to a phonebox on the corner of Brocklehurst Lane in Tytherington.

Insp Woods added: "Forensic investigation has taken place and we are even looking at the coins in the phonebox. All it takes is for someone to remember seeing someone hanging around either the phonebox or the bin to get in contact with us."

Sir Nick responded: "I had a number of people contacting me with concerns over the length of time it took to sort out.  Clearly it had to be taken seriously, but why does it take six hours to sort a hoax out?   If I implied any criticism, it was about the length of time that it took for the incident to be brought to an end and the roads to be unblocked."

If you have any information about the hoax, contact Macclesfield Police on 0845 4580000, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.