Bomb squad called after WWII munition becomes lodged inside UK man

Though there was no explosion, the bomb certainly left an impression on all concerned. Stock Photo / Getty

Warning: Graphic details

A UK man sparked a bomb-squad callout when he presented to an accident and emergency clinic with a potentially explosive medical complaint.

The unnamed man arrived at Gloucester's Gloucestershire Royal Hospital with a World War II anti-tank round lodged in his rectum, prompting panicked calls to police and an army bomb squad.

The Sun reported the patient, a collector of military memorabilia, told doctors he "slipped and fell" on the 17cm by 6cm armour-piercing shell.

The projectile was later identified as being a World War Two 57mm shell, typically fired from anti-tank guns.

A source told The Sun: "The guy said he found the shell when he was having a clear out of his stuff.

"He said he put it on the floor then he slipped and fell on it — he was in a considerable amount of pain."

In typically plain language, a police spokesperson said officers acted on "a report that a patient had presented with a munition in his rectum".

The object had been removed before police arrived and an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was then summoned.

The bomb squad quickly ascertained that the round that was in him was inert.

"It was a solid shot round. It was a chunky, pointed lump of lead designed to rip through a tank's armour," a source told The Sun.

It is understood that the patient is expected to make a full recovery.

Hospital emergency departments around the world are no strangers to treating patients with similar, though less potentially explosive, complaints.

In 2012, New Zealand was shocked by the news that a man had sought treatment at Auckland Hospital after he inserted an eel inside himself.

Subsequent reporting of the event led to wide-scale disciplinary action against staff who had shared the man's private details.