Two houses in St Albans had to be evacuated as police investigated the content of a suspicious content of a small tester pot of paint that had been purchased in Kent.

Officers from explosive ordnance disposal were called to Gurney Court Road at 3.12pm on Saturday following reports that a suspicious item had been discovered.

The owner of the paint pot said he had bought it while on holiday in Kent, and alerted the police after opening it a week later. It is currently unclear what caused him to call the police.

Kent Police was notified by Hertfordshire Constabulary about the suspicious content of a small tester pot of paint that had been purchased in Kent and taken by the purchaser to his home in St Albans.

The device was deemed safe by the EOD and removed by police.

Jon Green, Kent Police press officer said: "Following an investigation, Kent Police is satisfied there was nothing suspicious in the paint pot and that no criminal offences have been committed."