THESE are some of the 'bombs' that led to homes being evacuated in Cinderford last Wednesday (June 10).

The picture was taken by a worker who made the discovery as he was clearing ground on a building site off St Whites Road.

Graham Arnold, who works for S and C Bennett Construction, based in Wooton-under-Edge, uncovered the rusting objects, thought to date back to the Second World War, on the site near The White Hart pub.

He was later told by bomb disposal experts that the 17 objects were smoke mortars and there was no danger of them exploding.

St Whites Road – one of the main routes into Cinderford – was closed for several hours between its junctions with Ruspidge Road and Valley Road and diversions were put in place.

St John's churchyard, which overlooks the site, was also cordoned off to prevent people getting too close while the incident was investigated.

Mr Arnold said: "I rang the boss and he contacted the police and then the bomb squad turned up.

"I found 11 of them and then the bomb squad found another six.

"They said they weren't explosives, they were smoke mortars. They said they would take them to a disused quarry and destroy them."

Several homes were evacuated but landlord of the White Hart, Jason Dickerson-Scriven, was told to stay inside while the bomb squad investigated the discovery.

He said: "At about 9am the police were made aware of what were thought to be World War II bombs.

"It turned out they were 'smokers.'

"I think a few houses were evacuated but we weren't – although we're closest to it."

Mr Dickerson-Scriven, who has been landlord at the White Hart since December, joked: "We could have done with one of them for the bar."