THE Royal Navy’s bomb disposal team were called to a World War Two shell uncovered at Dartmouth today (Thursday).

An explosive ordnance disposal team from The Plymouth-based Southern Dive Unit 1 disposed of the 21-inch long and six-inch diameter shell in a controlled explosion where it was found in Strete on the coastal path.

The naval shell is likely to have been used in Exercise Tiger - rehearsals in the area in 1944 for the subsequent D-Day landings.

Lieutenant Commander Peter Davis, of SDU1, said: “The shell was uncovered during work on the footpath and rightly reported to police who requested naval help and we were tasked to attend.

"Such was the age and condition of the shell and its fuse that it was considered it was potentially hazardous to the pubic to remain and to move, so we disposed of it in in-situ a controlled manner.’’

The team of four from HM Naval Base, Devonport, cordoned off part of the beach and the path and advised residents to open their windows to lessen the likelihood of them being broken by the detonation blast and to go to the back of their houses furthest away from the scene.

The detonation went ahead safely without damage.