UP to 20 homes were evacuated and several streets were sealed off this afternoon after a woman called police to say she had found a mortar shell in her shed.

An Army bomb disposal squad from Catterick was brought in to remove the shell from the house in Darnton Drive in the Easterside area of Middlesbrough.

It was taken to Saltersgill playing field, next to Newlands School, where a controlled explosion was carried out.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said the woman made the shock discovery at 2.50pm and raised the alarm.

As a precaution a number of neighbouring roads were cordoned off and between 15 and 20 nearby homes were evacuated.

A serving soldier previously lived at the house and enquiries are underway to see if he has any possible links to the shell.