Scores of residents were evacuated from their Black Country homes because of a bomb scare.

Army bomb disposal experts and police cordoned off three quarters of Valley Road, Upper Gornal, yesterday after three schoolboys found a suspicious package in bushes off the street.

Police today confirmed they had been called to the scene by the fire service – but declined to reveal whether the package was a bomb.

Fire crews urged families to shut themselves indoors when they were called to the scene at around 5.30pm.

The package was described as a “bomb in a blue container” with a timer device and was discovered in nearby bushes by the youngsters who had been playing outside. Firefighters from Bilston were on standby near the junction of Edmund Road until the Army and police declared the package and scene safe just before 7.30pm.

Sarah Warnes, of West Midlands Fire Service, said the Royal Logistics Corps bomb disposal unit was called to deal with the suspected bomb.

Resident Helen Scriven said her sons Jack and George Fisher, aged 14 and 13, had discovered a blue container stashed in bushes while playing in the street after school with their friend Josh Rhodes, 14. The boys called 999 – and then stored the package in their garden shed until police arrived. Mrs Scriven said the family was then ordered outside while the Army carried out investigations.

She said: “Loads of people were out in the street. About 60 had to be evacuated and part of Edmund Road was cordoned off. Police told us to stop in and shut the windows. Everyone wanted to know what was going on.

“Then about one-and-a-half hours later a policewoman knocked on the door and said ‘Can you be ready to leave in a couple of minutes?’ I saw people running up the street. One neighbour had his child in his arms.”

The boys said there were army officers patrolling at the top of the street. Mrs Scriven said she had only just returned from collecting her youngest son, Alex, from Queen Victoria Primary School when the package was discovered.

West Midlands Fire Service spokesman Mike Fox said crews were called to the emergency following a call from police to say a suspicious package had been found.

Mr Fox said he was not aware of the outcome of the alert as police and army had taken control of the incident.

Upper Gornal and Woodsetton ward councillor Julian Ryder said news of the bomb scare was a “body blow” for the area.

He said: “You don’t hear of this sort of thing happening around here. It’s unbelievable.”