WETHERSPOONS bosses have said the reported stink bomb that sparked an evacuation in Paisley’s town centre last night was actually tear gas.

Emergency services rushed to the town at around 9.10pm on Sunday after reports of coughing and screaming in The Last Post pub on County Square.

At least eight fire engines, police, ambulance and environmental health units raced to the scene.

The area was sealed off for several hours and it was later reported youths had set off a stink device in the crowded bar.

However, pub bosses have now said it was CS gas that was set off, which is commonly used as a riot control agent.

Wetherspoons spokesman, Eddie Gershon, said: “At around 8.15pm, the pub manager was alerted to a gas substance in the air by a staff member.

“The pub was evacuated immediately and the emergency services called to say they believed there to be some sort of serious gas leak.

“The emergency service controller said they would get someone from the gas company out. However, it could be up to an hour.

“The pub was then contacted by someone who said that some of the people in the pub had been taken to A&E.

“The police were made aware of this.

“The gas engineer arrived and he concluded it was not a gas leak. The manager was told to keep everyone out of the building.

“At around 9.30pm, the fire brigade and police arrived and began to set up a cordon around the entire pub and shut Paisley Gilmour Street train station.

“A wide range of emergency crews were at the pub by this stage, including fire officers, getting dressed into full hazmat suits. They were later told it was suspected CS gas being let off. This was later confirmed.

“The pub manager was told by a police sergeant that all those who went to A&E were okay and the pub was left to be ventilated for a time.

“The emergency services allowed staff to enter the premises again by 10.45pm and the cordon was lifted around ten minutes later.

“Police were given CCTV to investigate.”

A Police Scotland spokeswoman told the Evening Times the force has not had any confirmation on whether the substance was tear gas or not.