THE Bomb Disposal Unit was called out to deal with two separate incidents in the region yesterday.

The first was a suspicious parcel, the size of a small ice cream container.

It was found by two men walking in woods behind Hemlington Row, Crook, County Durham, at 2.45pm.

Police Inspector Jim Pitcher said: "It looked like a home-made explosive device, possibly made with fertiliser, but when the bomb disposal unit had a look at it, it turned out to be a hoax."

At 5pm, police received a call from a farmer at Streatlam, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, to report a mortar shell he had found in a field.

Insp Pitcher said there had been an Army camp nearby about 20 years ago and the mortar may have been discarded then.

The bomb disposal unit, based at Catterick, North Yorkshire - in the area to investigate the first scare - removed the bomb, which was still live.

"The first call was for a fake but the second was a live bomb," said Insp Pitcher.

"Luckily, it was a long way from homes but the farmer obviously had serious cause for concern."