THE bomb disposal squad was called in to Trowbridge police station on Wednesday after an unexploded shell was brought in as part of the national gun amnesty.

The 15lb shell was brought in by a man who said it had been in his family for the past 30 years and had been used as a door stop.

Inspector Jon Tapper of Trowbridge police said: "We took the shell into our care and as a precaution put it in one of our, now disused cell areas, which is obviously very substantial."

As a precautionary measure the inquiry office at the station was closed and all police personnel in the building were moved to an area away from where the shell was being kept.

The car park at the rear of the building was also cordoned off until the all clear was given.

The shell was brought in at about 11am and the bomb disposal squad arrived about an hour later to take it away.

Apart from the closure of the inquiry office for a short time, there was no disruption to normal policing in the town.

Wednesday was the last day of the month-long gun amnesty in which anyone could hand in illegal or unwanted firearms without facing prosecution.