Object which caused Granary Wharf River Air bomb scare evacuation in Leeds city centre was just bollard - police lift cordon

Magnet fisherman and former military cadet, Ian Major, discovered the large rusty object in the river at Granary Wharf this morning.

He pulled out the long metal cylinder at 11am while magnet fishing with his 15-year-old nephew.

Further inspection of the object prompted fears that it could be an unexploded bomb and Ian called a friend in the army.

Ian, 39, said: "When we first pulled it out I didn't think it was a shell, but we pulled it to one side and it stood out to me as a potential artillery shell, rounded at the end with a flat base.

"There was crustation around it and I couldn't be certain, so we placed the item where the Leeds water taxi docks is so that if it went off there would be minimum damage."

He called the police at 2pm and officers arrived at the scene within five minutes, inspected the object and called in the military bomb squad.

A large area of Granary Wharf was cordoned off and police evacuated nearby buildings, including Water Lane Boathouse which was metres away from where the object was discovered.

Police advised the public to avoid the area as they directed traffic away from the scene.

Ian said the military arrived at about 4.30pm and identified the object as a bollard.

He added: "They've just told us it's safe.

"We go magnet fishing every weekend when we can and nothing like this has ever happened before!"

The cordon has now been removed and West Yorkshire Police have thanked the public for their patience.

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