Two unattended bags have been destroyed near the finish line of the Boston marathon just a year after three people were killed by a pair of bombs.

Police have arrested a man in connection with the incident, which saw saw hundreds of people evacuated. The man had a rice cooker in his backpack and has been charged with possessing a hoax device.

Police Superintendent Randall Halstead said the man was stopped by an officer who saw him acting suspiciously. He added the man then dropped the bag.

The man also faces charges of disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct.

Police have not said what was in the second backpack or who owned it, but they are continuing to investigate. People were told to avoid the area and trains bypassed the nearby Copley Square station.

The scare came just hours after relatives took part in ceremonies marking the first anniversary of the deadly attack, which left more than 250 people injured.

The families of Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell and Lu Lingzi, along with relatives of MIT police officer Sean Collier, were joined by Vice President Joe Biden and other dignitaries for a day of tributes.

A total of 36,000 runners are scheduled to take part in the 2014 Marathon on Monday.