UPDATE: Police reveal 'mortar shell' found in garden near Peterborough was unexploded German Second World War bomb

Police have confirmed a ‘mortar shell’ found in a garden near Peterborough last weekend was in fact an unexploded German Second World War bomb.

The bomb squad were called to carry out a controlled explosion after the discovery was made in a garden in Ailsworth on Sunday.

Casworth Way in Ailsworth was closed by police at around 11am following the discovery with a 100m cordon being placed at the scene.

Explosive experts were called, with the suspected shell being destroyed in a near-by field.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “We were called on Sunday morning about a suspicious device that was found while a resident was doing some work in their garden in Ailsworth.

“Response officers worked quickly to evacuate local residents and worked alongside Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) to safely retrieve the device, which was identified as a German Incendiary Bomb from WW2, and destroy it.

“Thank you to the resident for contacting us!”