A SUSPECTED wartime bomb was unearthed by contractors working at the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff.

Staff and workmen were evacuated from the building following the discovery - which turned out to be a lump of granite.

Maintenance men were working in the theatre's basement when their spade struck an object which they feared could be an unexploded bomb.

The building was evacuated and two experts from the Royal Logistic Corps, based in Colchester, moved in - only to find the object was a 13-inch piece of granite.

Army spokesman Robert Mead said: "Workmen were excavating the basement in the theatre and a spade struck an object.

"They originally rang the police on the suspicion it may be a Second World War bomb.

"Southend police called the military, and an innocuous lump of granite was found, in an irregular shape.

"They took it away to save the pavilion having to do anything with it and brought it back to Colchester. They haven't entered it into their collection as such, they've broken it down into smaller bits."

About 25 workmen and staff were evacuated at 2pm on Tuesday, and they had to stay away for two hours.

Emma Harley, a spokeswoman for the Cliffs Pavilion, said: "We went over to the Palace Theatre while we were waiting. It was a very unusual day."