An investigation is under way after a suspect package was sent to an Army recruitment centre in Chatham today.

Bomb disposal experts were called to the Army and RAF Careers office, in Dock Road, after the parcel arrived this morning.

Police are not ruling out a possible link to another suspect parcel delivered to an Army recruitment centre in Reading.

The Chatham building was evacuated and police cordoned off the scene when the alert was raised at 10.45am.

A Royal Logistic Corps bomb disposal unit arrived at the scene soon after.

Witnesses reported seeing one of the crew members entering the building by a back door at about 12.30pm and the parcel "was made safe".

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Inquiries are ongoing. We are not ruling out a possible link with the Reading case."

Suzanne Williams, who lives in the nearby flats The Eye, said police turned up at about 11am. Officers taped off a car park, but the busy The Brook remained open.

She added: "They have taped off part of the theatre car park and The Eye car park.

"My boyfriend tried to go out and he couldn't get to his car. A police officer told him their was an incident but didn't tell him anything else.

"People still seem to be walking past and the traffic is still flowing."