WORKMEN extending a Southampton sandwich shop made an explosive find at the back of the premises - an 11in Second World War British shell.

The live shell was found at the back of Minsky's in Bedford Place at about 9.30am yesterday while excavation work was carried out ready for the extension.

Paul Tombs, from Portico contractors, said he certainly got more than he bargained for when he took on the job.

He said: "It was a fully live artillery shell.

"I dug it up, picked it up and then put it straight down again.

"We got the owner to call the police and the experts scraped it clean, examined it and then put it in a sand box.

"They then took it up to Southampton Common to blow it up.

"It's the first one I've ever dug up but I knew what it was as soon as I saw it."

Paula Ruiz, owner of Minsky's, added: "We hadn't excavated a lot really and to find one so early on was a bit of a surprise.

"We've only gone a foot down and we find a shell.

"When the police came they said it was live and they took it away."

Royal Navy bomb disposal experts from Portsmouth were also called to the scene, but no one was evacuated from the area.

When the device was taken to Southampton Common and an area near The Cowherds pub was cordoned off while a controlled explosion took place.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the shell would not have caused much damage if it had gone off in the built-up area.

He said: "It's not a particularly big shell.

"It would probably have caused a hole in a wall."