A bomb disposal unit was called to the old running track behind the Christie Miller Sports Centre this morning after what is thought to be an ex-RAF shell was found.

Digger driver Alan McConnell made the discovery at 6.50am as he was digging up muck into a bucket.

He said: “I was digging holes and as I pulled a load of muck up, it was in the bucket.

"I thought it was a piece of cast iron, so I shook it about to get the muck off and realised 'ooh it’s got a rounded head on it, that’s a bomb'.

“I put it down and moved out of the machine – quick.”

David Merrills, Collins Earthworks project manager, called to the police to report the finding, he said: “We called the police and the police notified the bomb disposal team.

"They x-rayed the bomb and loaded it in the van and took it away.

“It was a World War Two bomb and the case was totally empty, it had obviously been diffused previously.

“We are all aware that we are working on what used to be an RAF base and there could be possible bombs.

“It could have been a training vessel that they used and just buried it in the end when they moved.”

The construction workers are currently in the process of building the new Herman Millar factory building site located in Bowerhill.

Police arrived in 25 minutes and bomb disposal team were at the site within an hour and a half.

Footpaths were closed off whilst the shell was being examined but have now been reopened.