The Coatham development will include homes and leisure facilities

Letters have been sent to residents near the proposed Coatham enclosure development in Redcar, Teesside.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council says experts have unearthed evidence of wartime defences - but no mines.

Residents became concerned after the authority brought in ordnance experts who carried out more than 40 tests.

A council spokeswoman said: "We are aware that investigations have caused some apprehension, but we would like to assure everyone that the company undertaking the work are ordnance specialists, working to a methodology developed in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence.

"We began by making a geophysical survey of the area, locating potential metal objects and produced a plan pinpointing 42 hotspots.

'Absolutely safe'

"We've been looking at those this week and, just as we expected, have found no mines.

"What we need to do now is investigate the soil and we'll be drilling bore holes to do that.

"But, again to underline our commitment to absolute safety, we'll be using more specialist equipment to ensure that the drilling area is safe, too."

Corrugated zinc, believed to be part of trench supports associated with the defences, metal poles and other pieces of metal have been found by ordnance specialists using a sophisticated metal detector and exposure through excavation.

The council's preferred developer for the site, Persimmon, has drawn up a blueprint, which features homes and leisure facilities, including a swimming pool, to be submitted as a future planning application to the council's planning committee.