BOMB disposal experts were called to a sleepy North-East village after a live Second World War shell was found.

Police were also called in to evacuate families in part of the road running through Well, near Bedale, North Yorkshire, after the recovery of what experts believe to be an anti-tank shell.

The shell was found by 25-year-old John I'Anson while he was walking along the River Ure, at West Tansfield, Ripon.

He said: "I saw it and the next thing I knew it was in my hands. I had already done the worst thing I could do by picking it up, so after that I was more concerned with just getting it away from the area and into a safe place.

Mr I'Anson, of Burton Leonard, took the shell to his parents' house on nearby Well Bank just after 6pm on Monday evening. He left it on the front lawn and called the police.

His father, Dick, said: "John often brings back trouble, but it is usually in the form of two legs. This is the last thing we wanted in the house."

The family had to evacuate their house until the bomb disposal team made the shell safe, at just after 8pm.

John's mother, Gillian, said: "They closed everything off and told us to go, it was absolute chaos.

"It was quite exciting; certainly not what you expect to happen in Well."

Next door neighbours Peter and Leslee Smith were also told to evacuate.

Mr Smith said: "It was quite alarming because we didn't know how serious the situation was."