GARDENERS discovered an unexploded Second World War bomb while they were digging in the garden of a home in Barbourne.

People were evacuated from their homes and police placed a 100m cordon around Stephenson Road after the unexploded device was uncovered this morning (August 15).

Landscape gardeners James Dobson and Paul Probert uncovered the bomb on Thursday morning while working in the garden of a residential home.

A West Mercia Police officer said they received a report that a device had been found by a pair of landscape gardeners on Stephenson Road, Barbourne, at 9.10am on Thursday (August 15).

Police officers were manning the cordon as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team made up of two army personnel arrived at the scene shortly before 11am to begin an assessment.

The EOD team was on Stephenson Road for over three hours before they transported the device away from the area to an undisclosed location.

Landscape gardeners James Dobson (left) and Paul Probert (right) uncovered the bomb whilst working on a property's garden on Thursday (August 15). (Image: Newsquest)

Detective chief inspector James Bamber said: "We’d like to reassure the public that the area has now been made safe by Explosive Ordnance Disposal, who have removed the item and will carry out a controlled explosion in a safe location.

"The discovery was made by a landscaper who was carrying out work in the property's rear garden.

"We believe the ordnance was an unexploded World War II bomb.

"The 100m cordon put in place has now been lifted and there is no threat to the public. Those who were evacuated are now able to return their homes and the area has been reopened."

West Mercia Police dropped the cordon along Stephenson Road shortly after 2pm.

City councillor Hannah Cooper saw the police cordon as she was cycling home from a meeting and came to the aid of one resident who was unable to access her home in Stephenson Road.

Cllr Cooper said: "She was a lovely lady and she had no phone or money on her as she was cycling too and so she couldn't contact her husband to tell him where she was.

"So I invited her for a cup of tea while she waited for the police to open access again."