RESIDENTS had to be evacuated from their homes after a Second World War bomb was discovered in a garden.

Canada Road in Arundel was closed for seven hours on Saturday as bomb disposal experts safely detonated the mortar shell.

Police were called to the address by a resident who said they found a “foot long mortar shell” at 1.54pm, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) crews arrived soon after to dispose of it.

One resident told The Argus: “It started at 2pm and went on until goodness knows what time.

“The forces wanted to be sure of where they were going to carry out the controlled explosion I think.

“Arundel is such a small village, it was horrendous to have all this going on.

“But the emergency services did a good job in disposing of the bomb safely for residents in the area.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said officers stepped down at 9.15pm.

“EOD attended and confirmed it was a high explosive mortar shell,” he added.

“It was detonated in the rear garden where it was found.”

Sandbags were placed over the top of the bomb as the detonation was carried out.

This was the second incident in two days in Canada Road.

Children from the Arundel Church of England Primary School in neighbouring Jarvis Road had to be held behind because of a man threatening to harm himself in Canada Road on Friday afternoon.

Alternative exits were being planned for the youngsters, but the incident was resolved before it was necessary, a Sussex Police spokesman said.

The man, in his thirties, was making threats to self-harm at a house in Canada Road shortly after 1pm.

He was arrested hours later on suspicion of threatening to destroy or damage property.

The resident we spoke to yesterday said: “All this is unusual for Arundel.

“It is usually such a quiet little place, so these incidents have been quite shocking.

“You don’t expect things like this to happen here, and certainly not in such a short space of time.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Emergency services attended a house in Arundel where the occupant was threatening to harm himself.

“Police were called to the house in Canada Road at 1.12pm on Friday along with fire service colleagues as there was concern for how the man, in his thirties, may have attempted to self-harm.

“However, he emerged from the property just after 3.30pm and was arrested on suspicion of threatening to destroy or damage property.”