‘World War Two bomb’ that saw Boston streets evacuated turns out to be clay pipe

The ‘suspicious device’ believed to be a Second World War bomb which saw residents evacuated from town centre streets yesterday has been revealed to be a piece of clay pipe.

Boston Police Station was closed and nearby streets Lincoln Lane, Rosegarth Street, Lawrence Lane, Irby Place plus St Botolph's Bridge were shut yesterday as bomb squad experts investigated the discovery at the nearby Rosegarth development.

However, the item in question later transpired to be something far less dangerous.

“Experts have now completed their examinations of the suspected device found near to Boston Police Station and have found it to be a piece of clay pipe,” a Lincolnshire Police statement revealed.

“The cordon in the area is being lifted and residents will be returned to their homes.

“We are grateful to the public for their patience and understanding while we worked to maintain public safety and resolve this incident.”

While officers and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit had to put public safety first, the incident lasted less than five hours.

Earlier in the day police had put a 100m cordon in place around their Lincoln Lane station after initial reports of what they labeled a ‘suspicious device’ was reported.

A later statement said of the item, ‘we believe it is an unexploded device from World War Two’.

Boston Borough Council’s nearby Municipal Buildings had been set up as a rest centre for evacuated families.