People have been allowed back into a Whakatane building evacuated by police this morning after a bomb threat.
A meeting was being held at a church-owned building, the Liberty Centre in Wairaka Rd, when it had to be evacuated at 10:20am as a precautionary measure.
The building and several nearby houses were cordoned off so a thorough search could be completed, a police spokesman said.
Nothing was found and people were allowed back into the area just before midday, police said.
Police are investigating the "hoax threat".
NZPA