Parts of Wells were thrust into the centre of a bomb scare following the discovery of an object suspected to be a military shell by vigilant litter pickers.

The alarming find triggered a swift and decisive emergency response, leading to the immediate evacuation of parts of the Tucker Street area, including the Tesco supermarket.

The area was swiftly cordoned off, and residents and shoppers were redirected away from the potential danger zone.

Police and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams were promptly on site, establishing a security perimeter to facilitate a thorough examination of the suspicious item.

The object, suspected to be old military ordnance, was examined and subsequently safely removed, allowing the area to reopen to the public.

Commenting on the incident, a police spokesman detailed, "We received a call at 8.15 am this morning (Saturday, 6 April) following a report of suspected ordnance found on Tucker Street, Wells. Upon arrival, we coordinated with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit (EOD). Initially, a 100m cordon was established around 9.15 am as a safety measure, resulting in evacuations, including from the nearby Tesco.

"However, after EOD assessed the situation based on photographs, it was deemed the cordon unnecessary and was quickly lifted after around 30 minutes. The item was then removed, and the area was cleared by approximately 10.20 a.m."

Tesco's spokesperson also commented on the event, stating, "Our Wells Superstore had to be briefly evacuated this morning following the discovery of what appeared to be a military shell by our litter-picking team. The police were promptly on site and the item has now been safely removed. We've reopened and would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to our customers."