If there's ever a time I thought I was going to die..

I'm sure you're all very familiar with the last weeks news of Daily shootings, Mass shootings and such incidents.

I'll try and set the scene for what follows, Me and my colleague are both walking through the busy town centre, 10;45am on the lovely sunny Monday morning Begining our shift. Nothing out of the ordinary yet, we'd done a loop of the town and began to walk through the centre past, just past the local food places. A Member of the public leaned in as if to say something, while pointing they whisper, "There's a black bag down there.."

I look behind this bin next to the cafe, shaded by a tree and bin, the bag inbetween. Rather busy area. Around a meter by a half a meter not a small bag by any measure. The bag, already opened a couple Centimeters, I cautiously leaned over to have a look, my colleague taking a few steps backwards..

As i peer over all I managed to make out was what appeared to be a black box with a few wires in the bag. Not to be too alarmed, Hidden big back, box, wires. No one around it, the usual thing to leave in a busy area right? Heart slightly racing..giving a slightly nervous look to my colleague as they gaze on.. What more to do than give the zip a slight poke with my baton to try and open it.. Failing to move the zip without touching it, I step back.

Contemplating what im going to say to control. A male comes running up from behind shouting 'wait, wait!'.... What felt like a tense few seconds, followed by "Sorry mate.. I Left my speaker.."

Brilliant.

I did speak to the male about it, as there were a few concerned people looking at me, and I spoke to another officer about this afterwards, and they taught me the H.O.T principle for reporting things, In hindsight I'd of done it much differently and been more cautious. live & learn, luckily.