SOME 350 people were forced to flee Teignbridge Council’s Newton Abbot HQ after a fire alarm was triggered.

Staff and visitors evacuated Forde House, on the Brunel Industrial Estate, just after 10am today.

A group of district councillors – who were just a few minutes into a meeting – were also caught up in the drama.

Members of the authority’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee had only just taken their coats off when alarm bells started to ring.

Council leader Jeremy Christophers, told the committee after the 20 minute break: ‘An overkeen workman with an underkeen drill piece set off the new alarm system.’

All meetings were resumed by 10.30am.