Pilgrims evacuated after bomb threat at Lourdes

Thousands of people, many disabled or ailing, were evacuated from the shrine at Lourdes in southern France today after a bomb threat on the Catholic holy day of Assumption.

Around 30,000 pilgrims were at the site in the foothills of the Pyrenees when Lourdes police received a threat saying a bomb would hit the site this afternoon, said shrine spokesman Pierre Adias.