AN artillery shell which led to allotments being evacuated was confirmed as a training round.

The shell was found at Foggins Allotments, Thornaby Road, Thornaby, shortly after 10am today (Wednesday).

People were warned to stay in their homes as it thought the ordnance needed to be exploded.

The Army's Explosion Ordinance Disposal unit were called in to investigate the scene.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: "The EOD have attended Thornaby Road allotments and confirmed that the artillery shell was a training round and it has now been removed from the site.

"Police would like to thank members of the public for their patience whilst the incident was being dealt with."

Allotment holder, Mike Russell, who was evacuated, said: “A policeman came over and said ‘I’m going to have to ask you to leave’.

“They had found an unexploded bomb and they didn’t know how old it is.

“Apparently someone found it ages ago and thought it was nothing so left it by one of the sheds.”