A NEW Forest village was at the centre of a bomb scare.

Police dramatically sealed off a park in Holbury after a suspected unexploded Second World War shell was discovered.

A female dog walker raised the alarm at 1.40pm yesterday after noticing a dome-shaped object on a pathway on land close to Rollestone Road.

Officers from Hythe Police and a Royal Navy bomb disposal team from Portsmouth set up a cordon of 50 metres around the pathway, which is close to the Bridge Tavern pub and runs to Ipers Bridge.

But the teams eventually gave the all-clear after discovering the object was an old gas canister.

Hampshire Constabulary force control room supervisor Steve Carr said: “The all-clear was given when we realised it was of no concern and there was no danger to the public.”

Rollestone Road remained open throughout and the cordon was removed shortly before 5pm.