A bomb disposal team have rushed to the scene near where Manchester bomber Salman Abedi was last seen with a mystery blue suitcase which the police urgently appealed for information on.

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed in the last half hour that they are currently searching a property on Banff Road in Rusholme in relation to last Monday's attack after the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena.

There is a cordon in place - and people are being urged to avoid the area.

No further information was available on the search.

But media at the scene have spotted a van arriving with the words "Royal Logistical Corps Bomb Disposal" etched on its side.
A policeman lifts a cordon as a a British Army bomb disposal unit van arrives at Banff Road in Rusholme (
Image:
AFP)
Bomb disposal experts discuss the investigation with police (
Image:
Evening Gazette)
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Image:
AFP)
Bomb disposal experts have arrived in the street (
Image:
Evening Gazette)

On Monday police released an image of Salman Abedi carrying a blue suitcase - shot on CCTV in the days leading up to the attack in which 22 people died.

They also issued a photo of a similar case on wheels - and urged anyone with any information in relation to the suitcase to contact them.
Police have set up a cordon on Banff Road in Rusholme (
Image:
AFP)
The scene is cordoned off by police (
Image:
PA)

Detective Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson from the North West Counter Terrorism Unit said on Monday: “We continue to track the final movements of Salman Abedi and are particularly interested in his whereabouts between 18 and 22 May 2017.

“Today, we are releasing an image of carrying a distinctive blue suitcase and an image of a replica of the case. We know he visited the Wilmslow Road area of Manchester and was also seen in Manchester city centre with the blue suitcase.
There is a heavy police presence in the Rusholme area of the city (
Image:
AFP)
Banff Road and Wilmslow Road are in close proximity (
Image:
Google Maps)

“Did you see Abedi with this suitcase between the 18 and 22 May 2017? Where did you see him with it during that time? You may have seen him in the Wilmslow Road area or Manchester city centre with the suitcase or know where the suitcase has been.

"If you have any details about the suitcase we need you to get in touch and let us know.

“We believe Abedi was in possession of this case in the days before the attack at Manchester Arena on Monday 22 May. I want to stress that this is a different item than the one he used in the attack. This image was taken from CCTV in the city centre on 22 May.
Police are searching an address in Banff Road (
Image:
PA)

“We have no reason to believe the case and its contents contain anything dangerous, but would ask people to be cautious. Anybody with information about the whereabouts of the case between 18 and 22 May should call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline in confidence on 0800 789 321.

“The public should not approach the case if they see it but contact police immediately on 999.

“This remains a live investigation and if you have any images or footage you believe can assist us then please upload them to UKpoliceimageappeal.co.uk or UKpoliceimageappeal.com as soon as you can.”