The suspicious package that delayed the start of the Pride parade was similar to another device found a month earlier at Brighton Marina – and both could have been pinhole cameras.
Saturday’s parade was delayed and rerouted after the device was found at 11.10am, and it was later destroyed by the bomb squad in a controlled explosion.
But when Hove photographer Nick Sayers saw pictures of the device on Twitter, he contacted police certain he knew what it actually was.
Mr Sayers, who is currently exhibiting photos he’s taken with similar cameras at Red Roaster cafe in St James’s Street, said: “I heard with some alarm about the ‘bomb hoax’ on Brighton seafront at the start of the city’s 25th Pride parade.
“I realised, when I saw a photo of the suspect package on Twitter, that this ‘bomb’ was almost certainly a pinhole solargraph camera – although not one of mine.
“When I heard that a bomb disposal unit had been called in – and a criminal investigation launched by Sussex Police – I did the responsible thing and alerted them to the likely nature of the suspicious package.
“It was probably not a hateful hoax bomb intended to derail a great Brighton event, but part of the city’s artistic fabric: a camera intended to reveal the beauty of a fabulous city.”
“I’ve installed a number of these cameras myself, with permission from authorities when they are in sensitive locations. I’m working on a project to photograph scenes around the city that I love.
“If I install any more of these cameras, or show others how to make them, I will work with Sussex Police to make sure they’re not misidentified, and I advise others to do the same.”
Police said this afternoon that their investigation into the seafront device has now been possibly linked to a similar item which was found at the Brighton Marina on the sixth floor of the multi-storey car park by staff on (Wednesday) 1 July.
And they confirmed that another line of inquiry is that the items are being used as pinhole cameras to take photos.
Brighton and Hove divisional commander Chief Superintendent Nev Kemp said: “We are keeping an open mind as to why this package was placed close to the start of the Pride parade.
“Inquiries are ongoing but so far show there is nothing to suggest it was placed with the intention of targeting any particular community, which is reassuring.
“The item on Saturday did look like a suspicious device and we were concerned enough to call in the bomb disposal unit, who after making a further assessment, also agreed it was highly suspicious and carried out a controlled explosion.
“The area had been cordoned off and there was no risk to the public.”
Pinhole cameras can be used to take ultra-long exposure photographs, such as this one of the bandstand taken by Mr Sayers over the course of six months.
Mr Sayers, who made his cameras from scrap aluminium cans, held a workshop on how to make your own pinhole camera at Brighton’s Red Roaster in June.
