Bomb squad in Dudley as World War Two shell is dug up

Homes surrounding the house on Stickley Lane were evacuated while the Army's Explosive Ordnance Team examined the device.

The 'small, rusty ordnance' was found when a woman planting runner beans was digging into the ground and hit something hard.

She alerted West Midlands Police, who then contacted Army bomb disposal experts to deal with the device 'as soon as possible'.

Neighbour Keith Hemmings, 71, was alerted to the discovery of the bomb.

He said: "Earlier this morning I gave my neighbour Irene some runner beans to plant in her garden.

"Then I was out in my garden when she shouted over the fence 'come and have a look at what this is'. She'd hit it with her spade while digging.

"I went around and picked it up and stood it on its end.

"It looked like a bottle of pop full of dirt - I thought I could have bloody blown myself up!"

An area was cordoned off by police and buses were being diverted:

West Midlands Police spokesman Brigg Ford said: "Police have cordoned off an area on Stickley Lane in the Lower Gornal area of Dudley after the discovery of what is believed to be a World War Two device.

"Officers were alerted at around 11.20am today after a resident uncovered what is thought to be an old artillery shell in a garden.

WATCH footage from the scene:

"The road has been closed and some houses have been evacuated as a precaution."

The bomb squad had left the scene by 2pm.

The discovery comes in the week that a huge WW2 bomb was discovered and blown up in Birmingham, forcing residents to be evacuated and shutting the M6 and Aston Expressway.

Gornal ward councillor Anne Millward, said: "Gornal was flooded with vans and police personnel this morning.

"It is becoming a trend, first a bomb was found in Birmingham and now Gornal.

"I remember reading top church in Dudley had its spire damaged by German bombers in World War Two. I wonder if the bomb was from that particular night, it is quite unsettling.

"It is absolutely brilliant how the police and Royal Logistics Corps attended so quickly.

"It shows how professional the authorities are in this country. I am really please with the personnel we have got.

"I hope everybody is safe. It could have ended so much differently."

The device was found less than a mile away from where Matthew Haden found a live grenade while rummaging through soil in his back garden in 2015.

The bomb squad were also called on that occasion and they transported the grenade from Mr Haden's house on Brook Stret to a nearby field off Abbey Street where they carried out a controlled explosion.

Star Anderton, councillor for Coseley East, said: ""I feel shocked to hear about a bomb being discovered after nearly 70 years since the war ended.

"It is about worrying after another bomb was found in Birmingham this week. How many more are there?

"I wish everybody to be safe and take care."