Police are today awaiting test results on a package which caused Bradford's second anthrax scare within 24 hours.

Inspector Steve Longbottom of Bradford South police said the envelope was addressed to a member of the Government.

The alarm sounded at around 12.20pm yesterday when a Post Office employee spotted white powder on an envelope while making a collection in the Holme Wood area.

The driver returned to a mechanical workshop in Valley Road, beside the mail delivery office, before raising the alarm. Firefighters, police and paramedics attended and the area was sealed off with decontamination procedures put into operation, pictured.

The driver and the two police officers who interviewed him were disinfected by a mobile decontamination unit set up by the fire service.

All three were taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary for tests, while police removed the bag containing the suspect envelope for examination.

The Government's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Liam Donaldson, urged Bradford people to go about their everyday lives, taking "sensible precautions."

He said: "I understand why there is widespread concern in Bradford over the deliberate release of biological agents such as anthrax.

"Anxiety about terrorism was, of course, high after the dreadful attacks on the United States last month.

"But the apparently deliberate infection of people with anthrax in America has understandably increased fear that the same could happen here.

"I'm pleased the Telegraph and Argus has given me this chance to answer some of the concerns people have and to spell out the steps we have taken to protect the population from any threat."

"We have reviewed and increased our supplies of antibiotics and other equipment and will keep reviewing our plans."

He stressed there was no evidence of any specific threat against Britain and, although there had been alarms, no risk was found to the public.

"Many of these incidents have been deliberate hoaxes. They are not just cruel and criminal, but also put unnecessary strain on our emergency services," he said.

"But these incidents have shown that the contingency plans of the public health and emergency services are effective and put in place rapidly.

Insp Longbottom said: "The name and the address on the envelope aroused suspicion. It was addressed to a member of the Government, a cabinet minister, but I can't go into any more detail.

"It had white powder inside. At the moment the priority is to have the powder examined. The envelope will be forensically examined at a later date.

"We are treating this as a suspected hoax but are taking every precaution. It's an extremely serious offence to create such a hoax which diverts police from other duties."

Odsal firefighter Allan Jones, called in as hazardous materials officer, said: "We put in place decontamination procedures which involved showering those in close proximity to the suspect package.

"Luckily, the package was contained within the post van so there was no need to evacuate anyone from the nearby building."

A Post Office spokesman said the Valley Road incident had limited impact.

He said: "We are talking about less than one bag of mail in contact with this substance, so operations weren't hit."

The incident followed an earlier scare at the Post Office's Shipley sorting office, where 60 workers were evacuated. Ten people were taken to hospital and later released. All were prescribed antibiotics and handed information and advice in line with national guidance.

The suspect package behind that alarm was sent to Government laboratories in Porton Down, Wiltshire, for analysis. Postal deliveries around Shipley were delayed but the sorting office was back open this morning. Workers returned to the office at midnight, after the all clear was given.

They were making double deliveries and expected to clear the backlog of mail by the end of today.