A TROWBRIDGE teenager got more than he bargained for when he went magnet fishing in the Kennet & Avon Canal at Hilperton for the first time.

Ryan Bedford, 15, was fishing with his dad, Ross Bedford, close to the Whaddon Lane canal bridge when he pulled out a two feet long wartime artillery shell.

"It was very heavy and quite slippery," said Ryan, a Year 10 pupil at John O' Gaunt School in Trowbridge. "I had to put my hands in the water right up to the elbow to pull it out.

They pair thought it was an old metal pipe until they scratched off the rust and mud and realised it was a brass artillery shell.

Ryan added: "I was surprised that something like that would be there.

"It looked like an old metal pipe. When I pulled it out I had no idea what it was so we scratched it clean and found it was made of brass."

At that point, they phoned step-mum Laura Bowley's uncle, cousin and brother for advice as the latter two have military connections.

Mr Bedford, 39, of Seymour Road, Trowbridge, said: "It was the first time I had taken Ryan magnet fishing.

"Instead of using a fishing rod, we were using a rope with a big magnet on the end that can hold up to 200 kilos.

"We had been there literally about 15 minutes before Ryan pulled it out. He had only thrown the magnet in the water about four or five times.

"He could not pull it out because it was so big and had to get down the bank and pull it out with his two hands.

"We did not know what it was. He thought it was a pipe but we got it out we found that it was an old artillery round."

The pair phoned relatives for advice; Laura's brother has worked with the military and her cousin was in the army.

They were advised to call the police, who came down within five minutes and cordoned off the area before calling for the Bomb Disposal Squad from 11 EOD Royal Logistics Corps Regiment based at Tidworth.

Mr Bedford, who works with Arla at Westbury, added: "The police officer told us to stand back.

"We stayed there for about half an hour before the police officer told us we had to go.

"The artillery shell was about two feet long and about four inches round. It was very heavy."

Ryan added: "If there was one there, there may be more. I will definitely be going back to see if I can find some."