A SUSPECTED bomb found by a pensioner is his garden has turned out to be a piece of scrap metal.

Police were called to Venture Close, Bexley at 9.30am this morning after John Marriott, 75, found a long metal object in his garden, suspected to be a world war bomb.

Officers promply evacuated the scene and set up road closures.

However, upon closer inspection, the suspected bomb was revealed to be just a large piece of scrap metal.

Police left the scene around midday.

A police spokeswoman said: "No explosive device has been found and residents are free to return to their homes."