'humming' sex toy shuts airport

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A vibrating sex toy in a rubbish bin sparked a security scare and shut a regional Australian airport for almost an hour, officials said on Monday.



An emergency was declared at the airport in Mackay, 500 miles north of Brisbane in tropical Queensland state, after airport staff heard a strange noise coming from the bin, Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio said.


"It was rather disconcerting when the rubbish bin started humming furiously," cafeteria manager Lynne Bryant said.


Police evacuated the terminal and were about to call in bomb experts when an unidentified passenger came forward to identify the contents of a package left in the bin.


A police spokeswoman said the package was identified as an "adult novelty device."


Australia has been under heightened security alert since the Sept. 11, 2001, hijacked airliner attacks on the United States and security at major buildings and transport hubs has been tightened even further ahead of an Oct. 9 election.