Europe News

Empty biscuit tin shuts down international highway

Dec 8, 2007, 13:28 GMT

Neumuenster, Germany - Huge tailbacks developed on the main highway between Germany and western Denmark Saturday during a 90-minute closure of both carriageways caused by an empty biscuit tin.

A janitor found the tin, marked 'Dangerous' in English, in a trash can at a lay-by and called a police bomb squad.

After the lay-by near the city of Neumuenster had been completely evacuated and traffic from Autobahn 7 detoured through choked city streets, a controlled detonation destroyed the mysterious tin. Print on the metal box suggested it would explode if opened.

'It had had Christmas cookies in it, but it was empty,' said police spokesman. Police did not believe it was a deliberate hoax.