Patients in A&E at Northern General were forced to leave as a result of an unattended bag being found at the hospital.

Police were outside the hospital near A&E this morning and a closure was put in place.

Gana Ming, who had been in the hospital’s A&E unit since 8pm last night, said a number of patients were being asked to leave and those who needed immediate treatment were told to go to the Royal Hallamshire.

She said: “This morning we were asked to go outside the hospital and enter again and go to another waiting room.

“Then I was in the other waiting room and two female police officers came to speak to me and asked if I had spoken to a woman who was also in the waiting room.

The 21-year-old from Sheffield, added: “They asked me some questions about that and took my details. Then 10 minutes later all the people waiting were asked to leave and we were told to go to the Royal Hallamshire.

“They weren’t letting people in at that point.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “At 8.45am this morning we were notified a bag had been found unattended by staff at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital.

“Officers and specialist teams attended and have confirmed there was nothing of concern within the bag. All closures have now been lifted.”

The Northern General has also been approached for a comment.