Kent Police was called at 11.04am today (November 20) to a report of a suspected wartime mortar shell on Top Dartford Road.
A mortar shell, also known as a mortar bomb, is an explosive projectile fired from a mortar, a type of artillery weapon
Officers attended the scene alongside a Ministry of Defence bomb disposal team, who determined the item to be of “no threat”.
It has since been safely disposed of.
A cordon, which was in place between Princes Road and Bower Road, has now been removed.
The incident was reported on a public Facebook group at around 1pm today (November 20).
Accompanied by a picture of the object in the garden, one user wrote: “Not what my husband was expecting to find today.”
Another said that police officers were knocking on neighbours’ doors, though this has not been confirmed.
Some people have reported they were asked to evacuate, but this also has not been confirmed by police.
A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Kent Police was called at 11.04am on Thursday 20 November 2025 to a report of a suspected wartime mortar shell in Top Dartford Road, Swanley.
“Officers attended the scene alongside a Ministry of Defence bomb disposal team, who determined the item to be of no threat.
“It has since been safely disposed of and a cordon, which was in place between Princes Road and Bower Road, has been removed.”
