Shoppers and staff at Westfield London were evacuated from the shopping centre earlier today after a World War II shell casing was found nearby.

Police cordoned off Wood Lane after they were called to investigate the device, said to be 13.5 inches long and six inches wide, on the Westfield Two site in Ariel Way just before 11am this morning, according to the Evening Standard.

The item was subsequently found to be a shell casing.

Westfield Two, a project costing around £1bn, will create more retail stores, leisure facilities and more than 1,000 new homes.

A statement from Westfield read: “Police have safely removed an unexploded World War 2 shell from White City in an area to the north of Westfield London Shopping Centre. The centre has re-opened and returned to business as usual.”