Parts of central Almere were sealed off on Thursday morning as police explosives experts made safe two hand grenades which had been left on the Grote Markt.

One handgrenade was found in a ‘suspicious package’ in front of a cafe on the square around 8am. The second grenade was found some 90 minutes later.

Firemen and ambulances were also called to the scene, which was monitored by a police helicopter. The area was reopened to the public around 1.30pm.

Hand grenades have been left outside cafes and other shops Amsterdam and Delft in recent weeks in what police say is likely to be a warning in ongoing gangland rivalries.