Live WWII mortar taken to Littlehampton police station

LITTLEHAMPTON'S police and ambulance stations were evacuated yesterday (Monday, May 17) when a live Second World War mortar bomb was driven to the East Street buildings.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th May 2010, 10:57 BST

A man, who said he had found the device sticking out of the ground at Whiteways Woods earlier in the day, went to the police station at 7.45pm, and told officers that he had it in his van.

A 100m cordon was set up around the buildings, including the probation offices, and the Royal Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal team called from Portsmouth. They arrived at about 9.30pm.

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A Sussex police spokesman said: "They established that although it was a live device it was safe for them to remove in a container, and the cordon was lifted by 9.40pm.

"The Ordnance Disposal team ask us to remind people that they should leave such devices where they are found and call police so that experts can come to the scene at deal with them safely."

He added that emergency service response to the public was not affected at any stage, and that no homes were evacuated.

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