Five houses were evacuated last night after an object that looked like a bomb was left on the doorstep of a house in Greymouth.

It was a cardboard box with a timer attached to the top and two wires disappearing inside.

Police were called to the property around 9:45, calling in an Army Bomb Disposal team from Christchurch to investigate the object.

They determined the device was not explosive.

Residents were unable to re-enter their homes until 2:30 this morning.