Fact Check-Photo showing alleged aftermath of a bomb attack in Bolton is part of a film series

A photo of a film set misled many Facebook users into believing that a bomb had exploded in Bolton.

The photo, posted on April 20, shows a cordoned-off area in Corporation Street, along with an ambulance, a forensic van and a person in a blue paper kettle suit and mask (here). It reads: “Bomb went off in downtown Bolton [sic]With two light-hearted emojis.

While the original user intended the message to be a joke, his photo has since been shared hundreds of times and he has received several comments revealing that some people have taken it seriously.

“Why do people make laughing emojis very sick individuals?” One person asked. Another added: ‘Bomb went off and yet people are just studying [sic] there look. ”

However, the photo does not show the aftermath of a bomb blast; it’s part of a TV movie set. The recording of the second series of BBC forensic dramas Traces has been reported in local press, including photos of the same venue (here).

VERDICT

Missing context. The photo shows the filming of a TV series. The Facebook user meant that his message about the scene would be a joke.

This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here.

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