Balsall Common 'unexploded bomb' turns out to be old engine
Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:46 pmResidents living in a number of streets in Balsall Common were evacuated amid fears of an unexploded bomb on Monday.
Homeowners were cleared from the six streets between Coventry and Solihull at lunchtime - before bomb disposal experts discovered the ‘bomb’ was just an old engine part.
Bomb squads were called after a resident unearthed the offending machinery while doing some gardening.
Residents were evacuated from a 100 metre area around Speedwell Drive at 12.50pm. This included Balsall Street, Shenstone Drive, Station Road, Needles End Lane and Winsford Close.
The incident continued until shortly after 3pm.
A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: “We thought we had an unexploded Second World War bomb but it turned out to be an old engine part.
“The Explosives Ordinance Disposals team turned up and we were asked for a 100-metre cordon. Residents were evacuated for a short time.”
