AN UNEXPLODED bomb was discovered today when archaeological teams were carrying out excavation work.

Police officers cordoned off nearby roads and people working at the site in Grange Road, Gillingham, were evacuated as an army bomb disposal team was drafted in.

Grange Road and Hazelmere Drive were closed and nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.

Divyesh Patel, 35, owns a shop near to the find: “I only found out about it because some of the archaeologists came in to my shop and I asked why they were going home early.

“We’re about 500 yards away so I think we’re safe if it does go off. Everyone seems to be quite relaxed and no one is panicking.”

A Kent police spokesman said: “Police were at 2.30 today to what appears to be an unexploded Second World War bomb at an archaeological site.

“There are evacuations in progress and we have closed roads as a precaution. An army bomb disposal team has been called to deal with the device.”