RESIDENTS found themselves unable to cross Michaelson Bridge in Barrow yesterday after police cordoned off a stretch of the road for a number of hours on Sunday.

Police advised members of the public to find alternative routes to and from Barrow Island and to avoid the Michaelson Road area.

Officers could be seen on the seen as police put up a precautionary cordon from Bridge Road to Hindpool Road after a number of pieces of ordnance were found in a building on Sunday morning.

An explosive Ordnance Disposal team was then brought it to deal with the situation.

Police confirmed that they were believed to be military ordnance.

Speaking on Sunday, a Cumbria Police spokesman said: “Officers were called at 10.31am on September 15 after the discovery of what is believed to be military ordnance.

“Officers are working with partner agencies ahead of the arrival of a Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.

“The public is asked to avoid this area until the incident is concluded.”

A number of ordnances have been discovered in Barrow over recent months.

Residents in Patrick Street and Ivy Avenue on Barrow Island were evacuated in July and a bomb disposal team was called in after a BAE spokesman confirmed an item been found near the Central Yard Facility.

Earlier in the year, a metal detectorist found the explosive device and took it home with him to Hazel Gill in Ormsgill.

Neighbours had to be evacuated.