Workers were right to call in 'bomb' scare (From Essex County Standard)

Workers were right to call in 'bomb' scare

3:00pm Saturday 6th October 2012 in News

A BOMB disposal expert has backed a construction company’s decision to evacuate a building site after a worker discovered what he thought could have been an unexploded Second World War bomb.

Instead, experts found it to be a garden ornament.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, based in Colchester, was called to the site, at King Edward Quay, just before 4.30pm on Thursday after builders dug up a suspicious item.

After inspection, Cpt Rob Addison found the item was a garden ornament and gave the all clear at 5.30pm.

“It was a rusty, cylindrical piece of metal which could easily be mistaken for a shell or bomb,” Capt Addison said.

“We would encourage people to raise the alarm if they do have concerns about any suspect items they find.

“It is better to be safe than sorry.”

A spokesman for Gallagher Group, which runs the site, said: “I think it was a case of we had to call it in.

“I suppose it could have been anything.

“Happily it wasn’t, and the experts came and took it away.”