THE owner of the Lorenzo Pizza premises in Corporation Street has told the Star he was shocked to receive a call from the police saying they were searching his building.

Steve Chowdhury said the phone rang early this morning and police informed him they were looking for leaseholders of his building - which houses the pizzeria and vacant flats upstairs - in connection with the Manchester bomb attack.

He said: "I can't believe it, I'm shocked. I was phoned at about 8am asking if I owned the shop and if I knew the leaseholders.

"At 5am the police had come into the shop. They said it was related to the Manchester bombing investigation.”

Steve and wife Susan, who also run Balti Spice in Duke Street, last year lost one of their four children, Sheila, to cancer.

He said: "I have never suspected anything out of the ordinary was going on.

"I lost a daughter myself last year and I couldn't believe how brilliant the people of St Helens were. Like everyone else, I was devastated to hear of the Manchester bombing."

Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North West and Merseyside Police concluded the search, which was in connection with Monday's attack at the Manchester Arena, shortly before 8am.

During the search, there was a large police presence was at Corporation Street, opposite the St Helens Courthouse.

Merseyside Police did not confirm why they were at the address, but added there is currently "no specific threat" to Merseyside.