EMERGENCY services responded to “security alerts” at two Premier Inn hotels in Bournemouth and Christchurch on Thursday.

Police officers, firefighters and paramedics were called to the Lynton Court Inn on Christchurch Road at around 3.15pm.

Witnesses said around half a dozen police vehicles, three ambulances and two fire engines arrived at the scene.

The road was closed between St Swithuns Roundabout and Knyveton Road, causing lengthy tailbacks. The hotel and buildings in the surrounding area were evacuated.

Meisje Wolf, operations manager at Europa School of English, which neighbours the Premier Inn, said: “We were happily working away and the police officers came in and said we had to evacuate the building.

“They said there had been a bomb scare. Obviously when a police officer tells you to leave the building, you do what they say.”

A spokesman from Dorset Police confirmed nothing untoward was found. 

Less than an hour later, a second alert was raised at the Bailey Bridge Inn in Christchurch.

A spokesman from Dorset Police confirmed officers were called to a “security alert” at the premises on Bailey Drive and the building was evacuated.

Staff at the neighbouring Westover Group showroom said they were also told to evacuate.

Emma Miles said: “The hotel manager came running in with the police and said we had to evacuate. Someone said there was a bomb.”

She said several of the hotel guests went outside with their duvets wrapped around.

“We were outside for about half an hour and then they said we could come back in,” she added.

“They told us it was all safe.”

Staff at the Premier Inn said they were unable to comment on the incident.