Peter Kay fans were left stunned last night after being abruptly ordered to evacuate his performance. The beloved comedian, 52, was 'bundled off stage' midway through the Birmingham show, with police confirming they had detained a 19-year-old man following the discovery of a 'suspicious bag'. The Phoenix Nights star had completed just 45 minutes of his set at Birmingham's Utilita Arena when proceedings were suddenly halted, and theatregoers were instructed to leave.

In newly released footage, audible gasps ripple through the venue as a production team member announces an immediate evacuation. Taking hold of Peter's microphone, which had been abandoned on stage after the comedian was swiftly escorted from the arena when the alert was raised, he says: "Ladies and gentlemen, due to unforeseen circumstances, we are going to have to stop the show. We're going to put the house lights up, and can you please follow the instructions given to you by the house staff?"

Understandably baffled, an audience member can be heard asking: "What? Is this a joke?" as the crowd collectively sighs in disappointment. Meanwhile, another person says: "I saw them [security] coming up here with a torch."

Theatregoers have since revealed they received no clarification at the time of the evacuation. A production team member reportedly took to the stage at approximately 8.45pm to notify the audience that the performance would not resume.

A 19-year-old man has been taken into custody, and the venue is being searched as a precautionary measure, West Midlands Police has confirmed. "We are carrying out an evacuation at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham after a potential suspicious bag was found. A 19-year-old man is in custody and as a precaution the site is currently subject of a search," the force said.

Officers have also issued an update this morning following Peter being escorted off stage mid-show and the crowd being evacuated due to a "bomb hoax", revealing that "no suspicious items were found".

While the comedian is yet to comment publicly on the incident, a statement from West Midlands Police read: "Following searches of the Utilita Arena last night, no items of a suspicious nature were found. A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a bomb hoax offence and remains in custody this morning as our enquiries continue.

"We're grateful to everyone for their co-operation and understanding. As always our priority is the safety of the public."

In the aftermath of the evacuation, a 55-year-old Kay fan described being "scared stiff" as events unfolded. "I was scared stiff, to be honest, because it was just so confusing," he told BirminghamLive outside the arena following the sudden evacuation last night.