First World War mustard gas canisters recovered from bottom of lake

Divers have recovered 10 First World War mustard gas bombs from the bottom of a lake.

Canisters of the potentially-lethal gas were first discovered by two bottle diggers on 1 October, the Royal Navy said.

The pair received minor burns and were taken to hospital with respiratory problems.

Eight days later, after using sonar to map Stixwould Lake near the village of Woodhall Spa, Lincoln, Royal Navy divers donned chemical suits and spent three hours underwater removing the 6lb bombs.

The explosives were then handed over to Lincolnshire Police, who are investigating how they came to be on the lake bed.

The area was once the site of RAF Woodhall Spa, a wartime bomber base used by the legendary Dambusters, 617 Squadron.

Petty Officer Jonathan Norris, who led the divers, said: