A bomb disposal unit carried out a controlled explosion after part of an old artillery shell was found in a Salford garden.

A homeowner found the cone of a timer from an historic artillery round among rubble in their Swinton garden, and quickly alerted police.

An army bomb disposal unit were alerted, and carried out a controlled explosion on a grassy patch of land on Agecroft Road in Agecroft.

A police spokesman said: “We were called at about 12pm this afternoon to reports that an old artillery cell had been found at a property in Salford.”

“It turns out it was part of the cone of a timer of an old artillery round.”

“We alerted the bomb disposal unit, and a safe, controlled explosion was carried out on a patch of woodland nearby.”

Residents nearby heard the sound of a bomb going off while it was detonated.

A spokesman for the MoD said their experts had attended and investigated the historic find.

He said: “The Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit from Chester were called at about 1.50pm this afternoon.” [sic]

“They attended and carried out a controlled explosion nearby on a safe site.”

“The explosive was historical in nature, probably from World War Two.”

– Manchester Evening News