AN army bomb squad was scrambled to dispose of an unexploded mortar shell found poking out of a rabbit hole on Easter Sunday.

The shell was found by a passer-by walking a dog in woods at Five Ash Lane in Crockerton shortly after 5.30pm.

Bomb disposal experts from the Ministry of Defence closed the road for two hours before it was removed and disposed of at army barracks on the Salisbury Plain.

The mortar shell is believed to date back to the Falklands conflict over 20 years ago but so far experts have not yet ascertained how the bomb came to rest in a rabbit hole.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "It was a 120mm mortar shell which is about two-and-a-half feet high and appeared to be something like a souvenir from the Falklands War.

"It was found shoved down a rabbit hole in the woods but was not considered dangerous."

No explosives were found in the mortar shell and the bomb disposal unit said no-one in the local area was at risk.

The spokesman said: "Members of the public must always contact the emergency services if they find any explosives, no-one minds coming out and dealing with things like this, even if it was on Easter Sunday.

"It's pure speculation and we have no proof at all but it is likely the mortar shell was from the Falklands War era as it is around 20 or 30 years old.

"Often people like to keep souvenirs such as this and it is not uncommon for them to be used as doorstops or points of interest in the home.

"How it came to be shoved down a rabbit hole in the middle of the woods is anybody's guess."

Residents in Five Ash Lane were told to remain indoors by police as the bomb was removed.

Paul Dale, of Wylye Valley Vineyard on Five Ash Lane, said: "A relative phoned to tell me there was a fire engine at the top of the road so I drove down to make sure my vineyard wasn't up in flames.

"When I got there one of the men from the emergency services said an unexploded mortar shell had been found.

"I know that during World War II some bombs were dropped in the area, so who knows what else is around?"

One local resident said: "All I knew of it was a police woman knocking on my door telling me to stay indoors.

"They said an unexploded mortar had been found in the woods. I didn't hear an explosion so I assume it was taken away quite safely."

Once the shell was deemed safe the Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team took it back to Tidworth Camp for a controlled explosion.