Police are probing a security alert at Saints' Franklin's Gardens after social media threats, and the scare is now believed to be a hoax.
A security scare at Northampton Saints' Franklin's Gardens home is now believed to be a hoax, with police investigating how the alert came about.
Officers are looking into the incident following threats made on social media. Those threats prompted the response at one of English rugby's best-known grounds. Early indications suggest there was no genuine danger.
Hoax threats against sporting venues are taken seriously, even when they turn out to be false. Clubs and police forces have to treat every warning as potentially real until it is ruled out, and that can mean disruption, stretched resources and unease for staff and supporters.
The investigation is ongoing, and the focus now is on tracing the source of the social media posts. Further updates are expected from the police and the club as inquiries continue.
