A BOMB disposal team has been called to Southampton university after the discovery of an "unidentified object".

Royal Navy bomb disposal experts rushed to the University of Southampton's Highfield Campus following the discovery of the unknown item today.

According to a spokesperson at the university, the object was uncovered during excavation work on Salisbury Road - which runs through the campus.

Staff in rooms overlooking Salisbury Road were evacuated to different areas of the building while the bomb disposal team carried out their inspection.

A University of Southampton spokesperson said: "The unidentified object was uncovered during excavation of Salisbury Road today, Friday, February 22 and has been assessed by a specialist unit from the Royal Navy as harmless.

"The site has been declared to be safe and all buildings will revert to normal operations as soon as possible."

The excavation work is part of construction on the university's new £36.5 million teaching and learning centre.

Set to open later this year, the centre has been billed as a “focal point” for the university's 24,000 students and the “flagship resource” for all faculties.

More to follow...