Bomb squad called after suspected 'Cannonball' found in Rivington

The discovery of a suspected cannonball in a garden in Rivington saw streets sealed off for several hours while bomb-squad officers made sure it was safe.

Lancashire Police and army explosive units were called to Rivington Lane, Chorley, on Sunday 6 October, after the ‘suspicious item’ was dug up.

Following an inspection of the heavy round metal object, police said that it posed no threat and was ‘nothing sinister or dangerous’.

Sgt Riding, of Lancashire Police, said: "We attended a report of a suspicious object that had been found after being dug up from the garden of a property.

"A number of temporary road closures were put in place. I just wanted to say thank you for your patience.

"This has now been resolved and turns out to be nothing sinister or dangerous. Thank you to the EOD for assisting along with PC Davies and his dog PD Fred from BTP."

"For those asking what is it? We have no definite answer, a very solid piece of metal, possibly an old cannonball?"

A spokesperson for Horwich Heritage Centre said: "Looking at the photo I don't think it's a cannonball, the flat raised area looks like it's been attached to something, possibly a gate post.

"Cannonballs have however been found in the area. A stone cannonball was found in the back garden of the Rivington Village Post Office, we have it on display in the Heritage Centre."

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