A SUSPICIOUS looking leaky parcel led to the evacuation of a Hampshire sorting office this morning.

The Fareham delivery office, in Palmerston Drive, had to be evacuated at 8am after a member of staff found a parcel was leaking an unknown liquid.

The office remained closed for three-and-a-half hours while police and the fire brigade attended to investigate the suspect package. It turned out to be harmless.

The incident has led to knock-on delays in the delivery of some post in the surrounding area today, but bosses say the postal service will be back to normal by tomorrow morning.

Royal Mail spokesman Jackie Stenson said: "The building was evacuated as a precautionary measure and the fire service was called to check out the package in question. The substance leaking was not identified but was declared harmless.

"Some deliveries were affected this morning, but staff are working to make as many deliveries as possible this afternoon. Everything is now back to normal and the backlog will all be resolved by tomorrow."