A HERO passer-by wrestled a bomber to the ground following an explosion in Bolton town centre this afternoon

Cliff Unsworth saw a man acting suspiciously carrying a round orange coloured object and a black binliner in St George's Street just after noon.

When Mr Unsworth challenged the man, he threw the device to the ground where it exploded.

Mr Unsworth, despite being injured in a leg by flying shrapnel, managed to tackle the man and pin him to the ground. Police raced to the scene and arrested the man, believed to be in his 20s before cordoning off the area.

A shocked Mr Unsworth said: "The explosion was so big it blew my hat off."

He said he had been walking by the Founders Arms when a man threw the object.

Mr Unsworth, who is in his 40s, was shouting at passers-by to help him, but he said they seemed stunned and did not want to help.

Barmaid Dawn Grundy, from the Founders Arms, heard the explosion and ran into the street where she saw two men struggling in St George's Street.

She said: "One of the men shouted to me to ring the police, so I ran back inside and called straight away."

Dominic Kneaffey, managing director at Retail Personnel Services, based on St George's Square, said: "We heard a loud bang and looked out of the window.

"We saw the police arrive, go into a nearby building and arrest a man. They then chased after another man down the street."

Nearby offices were evacuated but there was believed to be little damage in the area.

A police spokesman said the device is believed to be a home-made incendiary bomb thrown towards a passer-by in the street.

Within minutes of receiving a report officers in eight police cars sealed off a 100 yard stretch of the road. Forensic scenes of crimes officers also raced to the area.

Full background report on Saturday lunchtime