A VILLAGE cricket team certainly had a good excuse for losing their match - they were ordered to leave the pitch by the bomb disposal squad.

Stoke Prior Cricket Club were just 15 minutes from finishing their match against Himbleton Cricket Club when the army moved in. The match was being played last Tuesday at Himbleton, near Droitwich Spa, in the second round of the Dowdeswell Cup.

But the pitch was right next door to where bomb disposal experts needed to carry out a controlled explosion.

They had been called in earlier in the afternoon following the discovery of some suspicious items.

Officers raced to the village after reports of some shots being fired.

A police spokesman said: "A man was arrested on suspicion of firearms offences and taken to Worcester police station where he was later cautioned and released.

"Officers later discovered items at an address in Himbleton and as a precautionary measure, bomb disposal experts were called in. Following a controlled explosion, the area was declared safe.

"At no time were members of the public at risk as a result of this incident and no one was injured."

The controlled explosions were carried out shortly before 8.30pm.

Duncan Smith was playing for Stoke Prior Cricket Club against Himbleton Cricket Club during the incident.

Although Mr Smith described the explosion as 'reasonably substantial' the evacuation did little for his team's performance.

The 31-year-old from Worcester said: "We had to go back on and finish off the game in fading light. We lost by two runs. I understand the safety reason, but we had two overs to play, so about ten to 15 minutes left. They could have let us finish the game," he added.