A SUSPECTED unexploded Second World War mortar discovered on an Accrington farm was actually a large flare.

The 70-year-old ‘shell’ was unearthed on land on Whin Isle Farm on Blackburn Road, Clayton-le- Moors.

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Police were called, along with members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from Chester, after a dog walker alerted the authorities.

A police spokeswomen confirmed there was a suspicious device inside a bag, saying: “Bomb disposal experts attended and removed the device.”

But the British Army has now confirmed it was not an explosive but a flare used to light up conflict zones.

A statement said: “An Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team of the Royal Logistic Corps, based at Dale Barracks in Chester, attended a location near Accrington and assessed a suspect device which had been found inside a plastic bag by a member of the public.

“On examination, it became clear it that the object was an empty mortar shell of the type usually used to illuminate battlefields.

“The device posed no danger to the public and was taken to a military location where it was safely disposed of.”

Paul Threlfall, 45, who has run the farm for around 15 years, said: “It was very near the river and I think the erosion from the river might have exposed it.

“A couple of my friends go round there metal detecting and they would have had a shock if they had found that.”

The discovery at around 12.40pm on Tuesday was the second stir caused by unexploded Second World War device in a week.

Bomb disposal experts worked through Sunday night to defuse a Sprengbombe-Cylindrisch 50kg German Bomb in London – the night before the Championship Play-Off Final between Preston and Swindon.

It was uncovered during construction works within 200m of Wembley Stadium, and nearby homes and offices had to be evacuated.

It is believed that bomb was dropped over London during Nazi German bombing raids in the early 1940s but, unusually, did not detonate.