M6 fake cigarette terrorism alert: 'We could have been shot' say passengers Armed police, troops, fire crews and bomb disposal experts descended on the Megabus coach on the M6 toll in Staffordshire shortly before 8.30am yesterday, after reports of a passenger pouring liquid into a bag and causing it to smoke. With tensions heightened in the run up to the Olympics, a 27-mile stretch of the motorway was closed while anti-terrorism officers evacuated the 48 passengers on the 5.10am Preston to London service, and searched the vehicle. Decontamination tents were erected and passengers were checked for signs of illness or injury before being kept in a cordoned area at the roadside. It was not until shortly before 1pm, by which time long tailbacks had built up on surrounding routes, that the emergency was declared over. It was established that the source of the alert had been an "e-cigarette" machine, which uses vapour to replicate the sensation of smoking. Vermilion von Kangur, a student from Preston who was on her way to London for a Marilyn Manson concert, said passengers had been in tears. She said the driver told them there was "a situation" but offered no reassurance, information or apology. After being told it had been a false alarm, some chose to return home rather than continue their journeys. Vermilion von Kangur from Preston was caught up in the chaos Miss von Kangur, 20, said: "Everyone was terrified. Some people thought it was a bomb, or a suspected terrorist attack while others thought we might have an escaped prisoner on board. Some people were cuddling their children and some were crying. We were very afraid. There were armed officers at the side of the bus. They were looking at us through binoculars. She added: "If I made a wrong move I could have been shot." We were told to get off the coach one by one and told to keep our arms by our sides and walk towards armed officers. I felt scared, my legs were like jelly. It was very intimidating. Staffordshire Police said they had received a "genuine report from a member of the public." A spokesman added: "Given the credibility of the information we received, we responded swiftly and proportionately."