Vibrator causes airport scare

A vibrator mistaken for a bomb led to the shutting down of Mackay airport in Queensland, Australia for over an hour October 4, report agencies.

Cafeteria manager Lynne Bryant said her staff had been cleaning tables in the morning when they noticed a strange noise coming from the rubbish bin.

"It was rather disconcerting when the rubbish bin started humming furiously," she was quoted as saying.

"We called security and next minute everybody was being evacuated while they checked it out."

Pasengers who had arrived on a recent flight, check-in staff, cafeteria employees and other airport personnel were all asked to leave.

"Another two flights

were expected to land at that stage but alternate arrangements were made for the passengers to collect their luggage away from the terminal," the police said.

The emergency situation was revoked just before 10am when the package was identified as an 'adult novelty device' thrown into the bin by a passenger prior to boarding a flight to Brisbane this morning.

The police were about to call in the experts when the embarrassed passenger, whose flight was among those delayed by the scare, came forward.

Bryant was quoted as saying that in retrospect, the humming sounded exactly like a vibrator, but it was better to be safe than sorry. "You can't afford to take chances."