A MAN sparked a bomb alert yesterday after turning up at a police station with a wartime shell inside a supermarket carrier bag.

The building and the immediate area were swiftly evacuated and the Army Bomb Disposal Unit called in to carry out a controlled explosion.

Police said the man decided to turn in the shell - which has sat in his home for years - after watching a TV programme on the Second World War.

He caused more than a little consternation when he arrived at the police station - which had to be closed for two hours - in Crook, County Durham, at 9am.

Inspector George Ledger said: "The man had carried the bomb through the town centre in a Morrisons carrier bag, which is something we would advise against.

"When we received the bomb we took advice from the Army that it could be live and dangerous and to evacuate the immediate area.

"We were concerned because the police station is so close to the petrol station."

The man told officers that the Second World War shell had been given to him by his father-in-law and had sat in his house in nearby Witton-le-Wear for many years.

A spokesman for the Bomb Disposal Squad, based at Catterick, North Yorkshire, said: "When we received the call we dropped everything and came out to dispose of the bomb safely. We would class it as a World War Two shell - military ammunition."

It was taken to Collier Wood, two miles outside town, where a controlled explosion was carried out.

The spokesman added: "We would always err on the side of caution, and would also advise the public to err on the side of caution too.

"Just because it has been sitting in your house for 50 years doesn't mean that it isn't dangerous."

Insp Ledger said: "If anyone has anything like this still in their house, then alert us rather than bring it to the police station.

"We will be more than happy to come out to you."