FARMER John Kenyon unwittingly drove 30 miles with an unexploded bomb in the back of his lorry!

The Leyland man only discovered his antique find when he started spreading sand he had collected from Southport Beach, on land at his Slater Lane farm.

And his unusual discovery - which turned out to be part of a World War Two bomb - prompted a major alert as bomb disposal teams rushed to his Maltkiln Farm home.

Nearby streets were cordoned off as investigators inspected the device, before deciding it was not necessary to blow it up.

John said: "It was quite a shock when I found it. I was smoothing out the sand for a new paddock when the rake came across it.

"The first thing I saw was something metal sticking up.

"I realised what it was straight away. It seemed strange to ring up the police and say 'I have a bomb you might want to have a look at.'"

Bomb Disposal officers from Liverpool checked out John's find.

They determined that it was part of a bomb which had already been fired, therefore was inert.

John added: "They cordoned off the street and kept the children away."

John's wife, Pauline, added: "We have been told it was a bomb for a ship. It was a shock to find something like that on your land."

Sgt Graham Harrison, of Leyland Police, said: "The bomb was found to be inert but was still taken away because it came under the category of munitions.

"We always have to take precautions to make sure no-one is in danger."

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