Residents were evacuated from their homes in New Malden yesterday (August 31) after an unexploded WWII bomb was found in a garden.

Police were called to Poplar Grove at around 3.51pm after the "air drop shell" was discovered.

Cordons were put in place in the area and people living close by were evacuated from their homes as a precaution.

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Specialist officers attended and removed the bomb to dispose of it safely.

Two fire engines were also called to the scene at 4.53pm.

A spokesperson for London Fire Brigade said: "Firefighters were called to assist police with an incident on Poplar Grove in New Malden.

"An air drop shell was found in a garden.

"There were no reports of any injuries.

"The Brigade was called at 1653 and the incident was over for firefighters by 1725.

"Two fire engines from Surbiton and Kingston fire stations attended the scene."

A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said: “At around 15:51hrs police were called following the discovery of a suspected unexploded WW2 ordnance in the garden of an address in Poplar Grove, New Malden.

“Cordons were put in place and some evacuations carried out as a precaution.

“Specialist officers attended and it was later removed and taken for safe disposal.”