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A customer bought a World War One bomb into a pub after buying it as a doorstop and accidentally leaving it behind.

Police descended on Herbert Street in Pontardawe on Wednesday night after reports of a bomb.

The bomb disposal team were called in and the area was evacuated.

Sian Thomas, landlady of the Pink Geranium, said: “One of our regulars brought it into the pub. He said he had bought it as a doorstop from a bazaar somewhere.”

She added: “He’s quite elderly. I don’t know how he managed to lift it really. He comes in once a week and will have a shock when we tell him.”

She said the owner had accidentally left the bomb behind.

“He then had a good night and forgot about it and left it there,” she said.

“When I had a look at it I realised that it was a bomb so I called the police.

(Image: Robert Melen Photography)

“In the meantime another one of our regulars thought it would be a good idea to run up and down the street with it; he then thought better of it and placed it on the side of the car park neat to Jayne’s. Then the police came and dealt with it.”

Sian said the incident hadn’t surprised her, comparing the pub to the Torquay hotel in the sitcom Fawlty Towers.

She said: “I’m not really surprised. This pub is like Fawlty Towers sometimes. Our customers have a lot of fun but in a good way.”

(Image: Robert Melen Photography)

Jayne Jones, owner of nearby Jayne’s Fashion and Accessory Box, said: “It would have been a shock to arrive at work to find the shop reduced to rubble with shoes, clothes and handbags blowing down the street. Thanks goodness for our emergency services who made everything safe.”

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: “We are able to confirm that the device found in Pontardawe has been removed by bomb disposal and the area declared safe.

“We would like to thank the public and local residents for their patience.”