Video: Bomb squad blows up WW2 shell at Leeds charity shop

Police were called to Emmaus Leeds, in St Mary’s Street, Burmantofts, today at around 9.45am, before army officers from the bomb squad destroyed the shell in a controlled explosion at around 12.30pm.

The 75mm shell was removed from the building and placed on nearby grassland, which was taped off by police who also cordoned off the street and a footbridge over the A64 New York Road.

Chris Graham, retail support supervisor at the charity, explained that volunteers at the charity, which runs enterprises to support homeless people in Leeds, found the device among donated items that had been stored in its warehouse.

He said: “A worker thought it was something that we could sell on Ebay and then someone here said it didn’t look like it had been fired.”

Mr Graham said that there was no way of knowing how long the device had been in the building.

The shell is thought to have been a 75mm M18 shell, similar to those fired from Sherman tanks during the Second World War.

It was said to have gone brown with age, sparking suspicions it may have been live.

Mr Graham said: “We do get them in quite regularly but they’re often polished up and used as ash trays and such like.

“I’d urge people not to bring shells in unless they’re quite clearly spent.”

Officers at the scene shut St Mary’s Street down for a short period to ensure the controlled explosion could be carried out safely.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the force is not making enquiries as to where the shell came from.