Two men sitting outside a cafe with a baby in a pushchair were arrested by armed police today in connection with the Exeter restaurant bombing.

Around seven armed police were seen pointing their guns at the Asian looking men as they sat at a table in a busy high street in Plymouth, the home town of bomb suspect Nicky Reilly.

Marie Cole, 26, who works in a travel agents in Old Town Street, next door to where the men were arrested, said: “I was on the telephone and saw all these people running away from the restaurant past our window.

“I got off very quickly and went to have a look at what was going on. There were about six or seven policemen pointing their guns at two men who were sitting down.

“They had a pushchair with them but looked quite calm. The police were shouting ‘don’t move, don’t move’. They also had two police dogs.

“The two men were wearing casual clothes with coats on. The police then came in and told us to get out of the shop.”

Another eyewitness, Rebecca Pope, 25, said she was looking out of a window above the Bagatelle Cafe when she heard shouting.

She said armed police pointed weapons at the men, who were sitting at a table outside the cafe with a child in a pushchair.

“Everyone was screaming,” said Ms Pope.

She said both of the men were searched and put into paper suits before being placed in unmarked cars.

The pushchair was taken away by a policewoman.

Paul Marples, who works in the HSBC bank across the road from the cafe, said he saw around 10 armed officers descend on the cafe.

He said they pointed weapons “point blank” at one of the men sitting outside.

He said the first he knew of the incident was when “everyone came rushing into the bank”. Everyone thought it was a nail bomb like yesterday in Exeter,” he said.

Police sources have told The Times that the bomb was a “viable” device constructed of sodium hydroxide, kerosene and strips of aluminium foil.

Reports suggest that it may also have contained nails.

It can also be revealed that shortly before the bombing at the restaurant yesterday Mr Reilly received a text message of encouragement.

Counter-Terrorism Command officers from Scotland Yard were sent to the scene yesterday with the permission of the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall, to assist in the investigation.

Experts would have examined the suspect’s mobile and home telephone as well as his computer and followed up who he had called and who had called him.

The arrests today may have been a result of the forensic examination of Mr Reilly’s mobile telephone.

Sources close to the inquiry said the bomb was a fireball-type device that was extremely volatile and may have been detonated by shaking.

Detectives are investigating whether the backroom restaurant toilet was the intended place for detonation.

Those that constructed the device, and another similar bomb found at the scene, may have believed it was powerful enough to blow out the front of the restaurant.

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