A RESIDENT of a Tyne Valley village rocked by a bomb scare has spoken of an “unusual Monday afternoon”.

A bomb disposal team was called to Wylam on Monday after a member of the public alerted police to suspected war shells at an address in the village.

Now, a resident of the village, who wished to remain anonymous, has spoken of his surprise at the discovery in a usually quiet area of the Tyne Valley.

He said: “It’s a real reminder of the history of our village. I’ve always considered Wylam a safe and peaceful village, I don’t want to imagine the devastation these devices could have caused. The response of our local police and bomb squad was excellent -the way they dealt with concerned onlookers was brilliant.

“There was a lot of talk and concern in the village, and rightly so, but I feel reassured that an unusual Monday afternoon was resolved quickly and professionally.”

Officers attended the address on the village’s West View with bomb disposal experts after a member of the public informed police of two suspected unexploded First World War shells.

The neighbouring Co-Op, on Wylam’s Main Road, had prepared to shut up shop as it learned of the find.

However, it later transpired that the convenience store was able to remain open after it was confirmed that the items posed no threat to the public.

Experts subsequently removed the shells from the address for safe disposal.

A World War Two shell was pulled from Hexham’s Tyne Green in July after magnet-fishing enthusiast Mandy Hayward, of Dunston, and her son-in-law Jamie Rogers recovered an unexploded artillery whilst on a family day out.