The discovery of a World War I shell sparked the evacuation of homes and businesses in St Helier this week.

The shell had been used as a doorstop until its owner realised it may have still been live and drove it to the area’s new police base, which had officially opened just minutes before.

The round was later found to have been deactivated, and did not pose any threat to the public during the incident on Thursday.

Its owner Philip Fraser brought the foot long, 25lb armament to the police station at about 2pm for officers to examine.

Minutes later dozens of shops and flats on Green Lane were emptied.

The shell was brought to Britain 10 years ago by Mr Fraser’s nephew, who thought it was a dud casing when he bought it in Belgium while on a tour of First World War battlefields.

After his nephew moved house, Mr Fraser took it to his home in Love Lane about six weeks ago to use as a doorstop.

But after examining it closely he realised it was not stamped as deactivated, and drove it to the new safer neighbourhoods base in Green Lane, where residents and councillors had gathered to officially open the building.

Officers there told him to take it to the nearby Green Lane Recreation Ground while the bomb squad was called and houses and shops were evacuated.

A police spokesman later said eight regular officers and two explosives experts had been involved in the response.

Mr Phillips said: “They all sprung into action, and later said thank you for bringing the shell up.”

The parade of shops in Green Lane was also evacuated.

One employee, who asked not to be named, said: “The police came in and said ‘can you leave the premises, there’s been an incident’.

“I was panicking a little. We were out for about 45 minutes - I thought it might have been a gas leak or something.”

The shell was later taken away by police to be marked as officially deactivated.

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