EXPERTS were drafted in to detonate a live bomb that was unearthed at a village recycling centre.

The bomb was discovered at Drayton Household Waste Recycling Centre near Abingdon yesterday.

Oxfordshire County Council, which runs the centre, said it was found at about 10am and the site was closed for several hours.

Thames Valley Police said a specialist bomb squad was sent in, but neither authority could confirm more details about the bomb nor the circumstances in which it was found.

The bomb was safely detonated at about 2.45pm at neighbouring Drayton Park Golf Club, which agreed its course could be used. 

The club's secretary, who asked not to be named, told the Oxford Mail: "They needed somewhere to do the controlled explosion, and we have a lot of land.

"The bomb squad and Army were here."

Danny Allsworth was on the golf course at the time and captured footage of the explosion, which sent soil and debris flying into the air.

Council spokesman Paul Smith said: "Some historic ordnance was discovered at Drayton HWRC on Tuesday at about 10am and we closed the site.

"Specialists were called in and dealt with the situation.

"The site re-opened at about 4pm yesterday in time for its last hour of normal operation and it has been open today."