Residents evacuated by police and bomb disposal squad called out after old shell is uncovered in garden

The alarm was raised in Wooler at around 1.30pm today, Thursday, April 30, when Northumbria Police were called in to investigate the discovery in a garden of a house in Peth Head in Wooler.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team based at barracks in Catterick Garrison were called in to help with investigations.

Among those asked to leave their home was Helen Ducker, who spent the afternoon in the company of friends after she got a knock at the door from officers.

Her daughter Olwen Foggon, 53, who lives in Seahouses, said: “My mam phoned me at about 2pm and said all these police cars had come around the corner, about four of them.

“Then they came to the door and said they were evacuating everybody because there was an unexploded device found in a garden.

“Everybody on Peth Head and around there was told to leave.

“They heard the bomb disposal squad was driving up from Catterick Garrison, but that was going to take three hours.

“Everybody made sure everyone was alright, they’re a very good community around there in the village and are always looking out for each other.”

Police said residents were able to return to their homes after a short time while checks ensured the shell was made safe and removed from the garden.

A nearby hotel was offered as a place to shelter and stay a safe distance from each other due to the coronavirus social distancing rules.

Inspector Richard Anderson, from Northumbria Police, said: “Shortly after 1.30 today (Thursday), police received a report of an old explosive shell casing found beneath the garden of a property on Peth Head, Wooler.

“As a precaution officer were working alongside the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) who have now removed the shell casing.

“A cordon was temporarily put in place and some residents were evacuated as a precaution however, the cordon has been removed and residents are now allowed back in their homes.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you.