GLOUCESTERSHIRE Police are asking the public to avoid the area of a Gloucestershire farm, where a large number of dynamite sticks were found this morning.

Police were alerted to a large quantity of dynamite sticks around 10.50am this morning in an outbuilding of a farm in Chedworth, near Cheltenham.

A police spokesperson said: “At around 10.50am this morning, we were made aware of a large quantity of dynamite in the outbuilding of a farm in Chedworth near Cheltenham.

“It’s believed the 140 sticks of dynamite are around 40 years old. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal team is in attendance and a 200 metre safety cordon is in place. The sticks of dynamite are being moved to a nearby field where four controlled explosions will be carried out shortly.

“People are being asked to avoid the area at this time.”

More on this story as it develops.