THE police cordon in the centre of Bournemouth has been reduced.

A large stretch of the busy Old Christchurch Road was shut this morning because of smoke issuing from an electrical supply box under the pedestrianised area.

The road was closed from the beginning of the pedestrianised section near Barclays to the Halifax bank.

The area was cleared of shoppers and shop workers were told to stay inside until fears of an explosion subsided after the supply was isolated.

The cordon has been reduced to cover the manhole area only but the electricity to many of the business nearby has remained off while Scottish and Southern Energy work on the fault.