AT APPROXIMATELY 2.10pm on Friday afternoon, police were called to the Station Road and St Thomas Hill area, Launceston, after a suspected bomb-shaped device was found, writes Amelia Chubb.

Workmen had been carrying out groundworks at the area, when the driver of a digger unearthed the 18-inch missile.

Police were called immediately and on arrival, as a routine procedure, closed the road and cordoned off the area.

They warned some residents, depending on the location of their homes, to stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut, while others were evacuated until the bomb-device had been found.

Around an hour later the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) teams arrived from Devonport, Plymouth.

A police spokesperson said: "They found the bomb shaped object around two feet underground and it was said to have tails and fins around, with a green and yellow nose."

EOD teams removed the object along with metal that was found surrounding it.

It was believed to be from the 1950s and even though it was expected to be stable due to the length of time it had been there, precautions were still taken.

Around 4.20pm closures and cordons were being removed from the area and residents were allowed back to their homes.