Possibly suspicious items found in Wigan

Homes have been evacuated after police found 'potentially suspicious' items in a house in Wigan, 40km northwest of Manchester.

Homes have been evacuated after police found 'potentially suspicious' items in a house in Wigan. (AAP)

British police investigating the Manchester suicide bombing say they have found potentially suspicious items at an address in the nearby town of Wigan and had evacuated houses in the area as a precaution.

The police raided the property earlier on Thursday after they arrested a man in the town on Wednesday in connection with the attack with killed 22 people and injured more than 100.

They said later on Thursday that the discovery of potentially suspicious items had led them to bring in bomb disposal experts to make an assessment and to put a large cordon in place.