A BOMB disposal squad was called to the city after a live First World War shell was found on a managing director’s desk.

It is believed the device had been given to Jeff Heyes, the managing director of Goodman Baylis, on London Road, by a friend who had found it while diving in the Solent.

The foot-long bomb had been used as a paperweight for months and was discovered yesterday at 2.45pm by the landlord Clive Parks and his friend Jon Williamson.

Mr Williamson said: “I saw it on the desk and thought ‘that looks dangerous’.

“I shoot so I know about firearms, it still had a live detonator and the explosive TNT was exposed.

“We phoned the managing director and told him and he said, ‘I cannot believe it is dangerous, it was given to me by a friend of mine’.”

They moved the bomb out of the building and into a flower bed before calling the police who then contacted the army’s bomb disposal unit.

Ten police officers were at the scene, but did not close London Road or evacuate nearby homes and businesses.

It is not certain if the premises were empty. The historic Worcester print firm went into administration earlier this month.

Scores of pupils from Nunnery Wood High School walked past the unexploded device as bomb disposal experts examined it.

Two crews from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service were on standby in the car park of the nearby Oak Apple pub.

After inspecting the bomb, two soldiers picked it up and placed it in a red box before putting it in the back of a truck.

It was then driven to Powick Hams where it is understood a controlled explosion took place.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “It is an ongoing incident so I cannot comment at the moment.”