Woman arrested after Bath police hazmat incident which saw shoppers fall unwell and hosed down in the street during five-hour city centre lockdown - as police hold 73-year-old on suspicion of administering unknown noxious substance

A 73-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of administering an unknown noxious substance, after a hazmat incident in Bath which saw shoppers fall unwell.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and put a cordon in place on Stall Street at around 2.30pm yesterday.

One woman taken to hospital with breathing difficulties and itchy eyes. 

Emergency crews wearing hazmat suits hosed down people on the street in Bath after a woman approached them with a bag yesterday afternoon. 

A major operation was launched in the city centre after the incident led members of the public to 'feel unwell'. 

Avon and Somerset Ambulance Service was called to Stall Street at approximately 2.30pm yesterday.  

Footage circulating online showed officers in protective clothing tending to members of the public in a cordon which was set up next to Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths.

The cordon has now been lifted, police confirmed this evening, after it was put in place 'to ensure public safety' five hours earlier. 

Police have made no arrests thus far after locking down the area on the main High Street which is usually packed with tourists in the summer.

Police said two people have been taken to hospital after reporting experiencing difficulty breathing and itchy eyes. 

One witness said they saw members of the public being treated at the scene. 

They said: 'They took one woman off into some blue tarpaulin sheets and seemed to have hosed her down.

'She must have been told to remove her clothes, as she came out wearing a big orange suit covering her body.

'Then she was walked to the ambulance escorted by what I think was a paramedic wearing a full hazmat suit with breathing apparatus.'

Robert Clench, who lives in the city centre, told MailOnline he was 'stunned' as he walked past and saw several emergency crews descending on the scene.

The 24-year-old added: 'A very large area outside the Roman Baths was all cordoned off. I saw people in hazmat suits, fire, police and ambulances. Some people were stuck in a coffee shop within the restricted area and were not allowed to leave.

'A large sheet of tarpaulin was covering people involved in the incident.' 

Dakota Nicholls said he was leaving work when he saw the scene. 'It was quite frightening because it was so close to work,' he said. 

'I saw people in hazmat's suits, loads of ambulances, police cars. I've never seen anything like that before. It was out of the ordinary.'

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: 'Emergency services are responding to an incident in Bath. 

'At about 2.30pm a woman approached people with a bag in Stall Street, leading to some individuals then feeling unwell. The ambulance service made us aware at 3.08pm.

'We're not aware of any further reports of people feeling unwell.

'As a precaution, emergency personnel are wearing protective clothing.

'We are working with South Western Ambulance Service and Avon Fire And Rescue Service at the scene and have well-rehearsed plans for responding to such incidents.'