A SECOND explosive in a week has been found at Newton Abbot’s recycling centre.

The detonator of an explosive shell was discovered at Brunel Road Household Waste Recycling Centre on Sunday, the second such find at the facility in just a week.

The police were called and the Royal Navy bomb squad removed the device.

A week earlier, a suspected grenade triggered an emergency response at the centre.

The device was also removed by members of the bomb disposal team.

This is the third time in the last six months a suspicious device has been found at one of the county’s recycling centres prompting Devon County Council, which runs recycling centre, to alert police who then contact the military Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team.

A tank shell was previously found in the non-recyclable waste container at Ivybridge Recycling Centre in January, forcing the site to close for around an hour, while just last week a grenade was found, also at Brunel Road Recycling Centre.

The discovery of such devices left in recycling facilities forces an emergency services response as well as inconveniencing both staff and residents.

Users are, once gain, being urged to think carefully before bringing items to recycling centres, particularly if they are old, unlabelled, or could be mistaken for something hazardous.

Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, Cabinet Member responsible for waste services, said: ‘Again we’ve had to contact the police because a suspicious device has been found at the Brunel Road facility.

‘These incidents are entirely preventable and place unnecessary pressure on emergency services, disrupt our staff, and inconvenience the public.

‘Items such as explosives, flares, fireworks and ammunition must never be brought to our sites.

‘By taking simple precautions, everyone can help keep our centres safe. I’d like to thank our site teams, the police, and the Royal Navy for their swift and professional response.’