Sussex Police say the unexploded wartime bomb which led to the evacuation of residents overnight is in fact a disused fuel tank.

About 60 people spent the night away from their homes after what was believed to be a suspected Second World War bomb was discovered containing up to 1,000lb (450kg) of explosives.

It was found by workmen at the site of the former police station in Peacehaven at around 3pm on Wednesday.

The discovery led to the closure of the A259 South Coast Road and a 200-metre cordon was also set up.

Beryl Tidey, 76, was told she had five minutes to get ready to leave her flat at Home Coast House.

She was taken to Peacehaven Leisure Centre at around 10pm, and did not sleep all night.

She said: "The police were quite irate with me when dealing with us.

"It made me feel like a naughty schoolgirl being told off.

"The fact no one could notice it wasn't a bomb makes me angry.

"Nothing can make up for last night."

There are around 40 residents living in Home Coast House, which is sheltered accommodation.

Mrs Tidy said more than half of them were taken by bus to sleep in the leisure centre last night.

Gloria Parke, 74, had just returned from visiting France.

She took her two dogs and cat to stay with her at a friend’s house in Hoddern Avenue, opposite the “bomb” site.

Ms Parke was out with her daughter in Brighton when she heard what happened, and was terrified for her dogs and friend.

She said: “I got a phone call in the afternoon to say I can’t come back to the house.

“It was very traumatic because I wasn’t sure how long it was going to take them to sort it out – it could have been three or four days, you just don’t know.

“I was extremely worried there was going to be nothing left by the time it was done – none of my pets or my friend.”

Ms Parke said her friend refused to leave the house when he was asked to leave because he insisted on looking after the pets.

She waited anxiously into the night at her daughter’s house for updates from her friend to see if she could go back, but did not hear anything.

Ms Parke was preparing to stay in her car until her daughter offered a blow-up mattress in their spare room in Patcham, Brighton.

When The Argus told her it was a disused fuel tank, she said: “That’s absolutely ridiculous. All of that for nothing.”

Pia Brice was another resident anxiously looking on from the outside on Wednesday night.

The 24-year-old lives with her parents in Rowe Avenue but was in Hastings when the drama began to unfold.

She said: “My parents didn’t want to be evacuated. Police said ‘it’s at your own risk’. It made them feel like they didn’t matter and it was all for nothing in the end anyway.”

Her mother is 63 and father 64.

She added: “My mum was so worried all night and in the morning.”

Issy Wood was cross with how the incident was handled.

The 18-year-old was told by police she could not go into her house in Rowe Avenue to get her three dogs, despite officers telling other residents they were allowed to get their pets.

“It was like one rule for one person and another for the rest,” she said.

“It just felt like so much could have been done better when they were trying to evacuate people.”

Miss Wood’s house is just outside the 200-metre safety zone, but she and her mother were offered evacuation as a safety measure.

They had a neighbour spend the night with them.

Miss Wood said: “When we found out it was a fuel tank, we were just a bit like ‘really?’

“It all felt like a massive waste of time.”

Temporary accommodation was provided for those who were forced to leave their homes, with Sussex Police saying dozens of people were being housed in rest centres in the town.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts have now identified the suspect WW2 bomb in #Peacehaven as a fuel tank. — Sussex Police (@sussex_police) September 7, 2017

The A259 Coast Road in Peacehaven is now reopen in both directions.

Schools in the area are closed for the day.

Bus services in the area are now operating on their usual routes.

Superintendent Jane Derrick, of Sussex Police, said: "I'm sure everyone is relieved that this incident has been safely resolved, and I'd like to thank everyone affected for their patience and understanding.

"In such situations safety is always paramount. Unfortunately no one was able to determine exactly what we were dealing with until painstaking work by bomb disposal experts throughout the night confirmed there was no danger."