Detectorists find unexploded bomb near schools in Invergordon

A group of metal detectorists, including a man trying it for the first time, sparked an alert after finding an unexploded bomb near a school.

The discovery at a former air raid shelter led to homes being evacuated and three schools in Invergordon in the Highlands being closed as a precaution.

Rookie detectorist Ryan Junor and his son Shay were part of the group searching for old artefacts.

"We certainly weren't looking for bombs," he said.

Royal Navy explosives experts have removed the ordnance to a military site for disposal.

A spokesman said it was believed to be a mortar from World War One, which ended more than 104 years ago.

The bomb was discovered by a group of metal detectorists

Royal Navy bomb disposal experts from Faslane were sent to Invergordon

Mr Junor said the group, who made their find on Tuesday night, were stunned to be told they could have dug up an old mortar after posting pictures of it on Facebook.

He said: "We were only looking for coins, bits and bobs. Invergordon is littered with artefacts."

A cordon was put in place early Wednesday morning and members of the public were asked to stay away from the area around Gordon Terrace and Academy Road.

Invergordon Academy, Park Primary and South Lodge Primary were shut as a result. The school closures involve more than 730 pupils.

Police said several houses and shops were evacuated.

The cordon has since been lifted and the affected roads being reopened.

'We didn't know what it was'

The group of detectorists discovered the ordnance on Tuesday evening in a field near a former bomb shelter.

Mr Junor said they alerted the authorities after fellow metal detectorists identified their find.

He told the BBC: "It was my first time doing it. We went up to the old bomb shelter in Invergordon and we quickly came across something, dug round it and we took it and took some photos of it.

"We didn't know what it was, it looked like an old heavy bottle, maybe an old shell. I posted some pictures onto a metal detecting page on Facebook and then quickly people were replying back telling us it was perhaps a Stokes Mortar bomb and just to leave it and contact the police."

The Royal Navy said a squadron from the Faslane-based Diving Threat and Exploitation Group was sent to Invergordon to deal with the bomb.

A spokesman said: "An item of historic ordnance was rendered safe and removed from the area for onward disposal at a defence munitions site.

"It is believed that the item was a mortar from the First World War era."

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it had four appliances - two from Invergordon and two from Aberdeen - on standby at the scene.

The town is on a shore of the Cromarty Firth, which served as an anchorage for the Royal Navy before, during and after World War One.

The surrounding area was used for training troops during the war, and the firth was defended during World War Two.