We had to leave house in 5 minutes

DOZENS of homes were evacuated after a piece of metal suspected to be a Second World War bomb was found.

- JOSEPH TIMAN

The Manchester Evening News understands the discovery was made by builders working at a property in Old Trafford yesterday afternoon.

The bomb squad descended on Wood Road North at around 1pm.

Neighbours say they were given just ‘five minutes’ to leave their homes as police instructed them to move 100 metres away. Residents around Ruskin Road and Plumbley Drive were later told to evacuate their properties too.

Word soon spread that the discovery was not a bomb, with some neighbours told it was just a ‘metal rod’. Greater Manchester Police confirmed at around 3.30pm that the ‘device’ found was ‘not viable’ and the cordon was lifted.