By Emily Norman
An army bomb squad was called to Woodside near Greytown yesterday after an old mortar shell was unearthed.
The three-inch mortar was found at about 3.30pm and a call was made to police by the owner of the private property in which it was discovered.
It is believed to be from the World War II era.
Police said there was little risk of the shell still being live and no risk to the public.
The mortar was removed from the property.
The incident is not the first of its kind to happen this year in Wairarapa.
At the end of June the bomb squad was called to Masterton to investigate the discovery of a World War I bomb in the attic of a Queen St shop.
It was found during a shopkeeper’s tidy-up of the building and was later identified as a 18-pound shrapnel ordnance.
It had been in the family for some time but had been forgotten.
In that instance both shops on either side were evacuated.
Police have since issued advice for any future bomb unearthing.
“Anyone that comes across an explosive device should leave the device where it is and contact Police immediately,” a police spokesperson said yesterday.
“The device should not be handled except by those who are trained and equipped to deal with it.”
