Leiden station was opened to passengers shortly before 13.00 hours on Wednesday after being closed for hours because of what was described as a suspect package.

The package actually turned out to be a rubbish bag containing a camera which had been attached to a concrete pillar. According to news agency ANP, the bag may also have contained recording equipment.

Police are now looking for the man seen attaching the bag to the pillar using a metal ladder. He is described as white, aged 20 to 30 and wearing a long coat. He drove off in a dark coloured Volvo and was in the station between 06.30 and 07.30 hours.

Police explosives experts examined the bag with the aid of a robot and gave the all-clear. It will take some time before rail services return to normal, the NS said.

‘We don’t know why the camera was hung there but it is not as if we are urgently looking for a man,’ a police spokeswoman told news agency ANP. ‘We hope to talk to him today.’