A schoolboy has told of the surreal moment he reeled in a suspected 'mortar shell' while out magnet fishing.
Jensen Sudron pulled the unusual object from Lazenby Stream while out with his fishing with his dad Gary on Sunday. However, when Gary took the item with him to work to show his colleagues, they said it looked like a 'bomb'.
The Grangetown resident alerted authorities, with police reaching Birchington Avenue within minutes on Monday. Officers then evacuated the street and cordoned off the area, Teesside Live reports.
Pictures from the scene show bomb disposal experts on scene whilst police guard the area. The road was closed and a large cordon was put in place blocking access.
Nearby residents could be seen looking on as disposal experts dealt with the incident before leaving the area with a box believed to contain the 'weapon'. Jensen said: "We pulled this thing out that was really heavy and we didn't know what it was. My dad took it to work and people were saying it was a bomb.
"Police have closed down the road and all the shops for our safety. Everybody got evacuated out their houses.
"We're waiting for the bomb squad. When the police arrived we were nervous because we didn't know what to expect."
A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: "Officers are currently in Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, after a resident reported they’d found what they believed could be a mortar shell.
"As a precautionary measure, some adjacent properties have been evacuated and a temporary road closure has been put in place while police await information on the exact nature of the item - as well as any further advice - from explosives experts.
"We would like to thank any residents and motorists affected for their co-cooperation and patience while we work to bring the situation to a safe conclusion."
The road was reopened around 2.40pm.
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