While doing yard work over the weekend, a Westborough resident made an alarming discovery: an active mortar shell.
First responders from the Westborough police and fire departments responded to the home on Hyder Street to recover the mortar round found in the backyard of the residence, according to authorities.
Personnel from the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Unit were also sent to the scene. They removed the round from the home and detonated it off site, according to a statement from the Westborough Police Department.
It is unclear how old the mortar shell was, but an image posted to the department’s Facebook page showed it covered in dirt and rust with string attached.