Carlo Cudicini was fortunate not to be struck

Police are investigating how a missile was thrown onto a football pitch during Sunday's FA Cup tie between Chelsea and Shrewsbury Town.

Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini narrowly escaped serious injury as the object - a four-inch metal tube - landed within feet of him.

West Mercia Police - who initially thought the missile had landed close to Shrewsbury goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin - said it was thrown onto the pitch from outside the ground, Gay Meadow, in Shrewsbury.

Experts are being brought in to examine the missile to work out what it is.

I just think it's sheer lunacy West Mercia Police

A force spokesman told Radio Five Live: "It's a wicked looking bit of metal.

He added: "If it had exploded anywhere near the goalie, or indeed anywhere else in a ground that's packed with 8,000 people, very serious injury or worse could have occurred.

"I just think it's sheer lunacy."

The Football Association has decided that it will take no action and that the incident is a matter for the police.

"As the incident did not take place within Gay Meadow, the matter is in the hands of the police rather than the football authorities," said an FA statement.

Mick McGwire, chief executive of the Professional Footballer's Association, has condemned the action.

"Following the hooliganism in the game in the late 1970s and the 1980s there's been a massive change in emphasis to such an extent that families can come to games and feel comfortable," said McGwire.

"The last thing we want is for this sort of thing to rear its ugly head again.

"The police can protect everyone inside the ground but it becomes difficult to do anything when trouble occurs outside the ground while the game is going on."

Shrewsbury Town lost the fourth round tie 4-0.