HUNDREDS of people were caught up in an emergency evacuation on Tuesday after a "substantial gas leak" shut down one of Bournemouth’s busiest shopping streets for over eight hours.

Fears of a possible explosion led Dorset Police to cordon off a section of Winton’s Wimborne Road, after the smell of gas was reported in the morning.

The cordon, which had been in place at around 11.30am, was finally lifted at just before 8pm, with some residents spending part of yesterday evening in the local Salvation Army hall, where they were given coffees and teas.

Earlier in the day, shoppers, staff and residents were ordered to evacuate, and the subsequent road closures caused traffic chaos up until the evening rush-hour.

Traders believe the gas leak could be linked to a power cut that affected 15 properties around the same time – but this remained unconfirmed by the utilities companies as the Echo went to press.

A spokesperson for gas distribution company SGN said last night: "We made a temporary repair to the damaged gas main this afternoon which stopped the gas leak. Since then, we have been venting the residual gas from the properties and monitoring levels.

"It is now safe for all residents and businesses who were evacuated, to return to their properties. The Wimborne Road temporary road closure is also being lifted.

"It is necessary for Cardigan Road, at its junction with Wimborne Road, to remain closed while we complete a permanent repair to the gas main.

"We would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding."

This morning the spokesperson confirmed that engineers are back on-site to carry out a permanent repair. 

Cardigan Road remains closed to allow engineers room to manoeuvre equipment and to ensure safety while the work is completed, the spokesperson added. 

However, all residents evacuated yesterday have now been able to return to their homes. 

Jeweller Harry Rose, of Rose’s Jewellers, Wimborne Road, said his business had suffered a power cut when he arrived to open up in the morning, then came back on about 10.30am. “So we opened up,” he said.

“We were really busy for an hour, then someone from the gas board came in and told us we had to evacuate – unbelievable.

“It looked like the whole of Winton had been closed down. All the roads were closed off, it’s quite shocking for business really.

“The police blocked off the road, there was traffic chaos – it must have cost all the traders a fortune.”

Wayne Sheppard, owner of Quickpics, was originally just outside the exclusion zone but at around 1pm he was also told to evacuate by police.

Meanwhile, Clinton Cards’ sales assistant Leigh Jenkins said he first smelt gas around 11am and it “got worse and worse” until gas engineers told shop staff to evacuate half an hour later. “They just said it could be a bad one,” he added. “It’s something where it’s better to be safe than sorry. It’s inconvenient but at the same time it’s something you don’t want to take lightly.”

David McPeak from Winton was on his way to Waitrose to pick up a few last-minute items before going away on holiday.

Speaking from well outside the cordon, he said: “I can actually smell the gas when the wind blows so it must have been a lot to travel all this way.”

Police confirmed an emergency cordon with a 150-metre radius was put in place for safety reasons. A force spokesman explained today: “We received a call just after 11am today, to reports of a substantial gas leak in the Wimborne Road area of Bournemouth.

“The area was evacuated and road closures put in place to keep members of the public away until it is was confirmed to be safe.”

Wimborne Road was closed between its junctions with Wycliffe Road and Alma Road.

Dorset Fire & Rescue Service firefighters and paramedics from South Western Ambulance Service also attended the scene.

Before the gas evacuation drama, traders in Winton had already suffered a power cut – although it remains unclear if the two are related.

Southern Scottish Electricity (SSE) confirmed 15 Wimborne Road properties lost power on Tuesday morning.

Retailers said this was the third time they’d been affected by a power cut in the run-up to Christmas in as many years.

An SSE spokesman said their engineers discovered the gas leak, while working to restore power, and reported it.