LIVE ammunition was discovered by a member of the Witney Woodland Volunteer Group, during a spruce-up of the town.

David Colbourne said as part of the group’s aim of enhancing the environment, it occasionally clears rubbish from paths and woodland edges alongside the River Windrush, which runs down Witan Way.

Walking along this route, on Monday March 9, he came across an old rusty tin.

When he opened the tin, he was surprised to find three live bullets.

Mr Colbourne, of New Yatt Road, said: “When the tin was picked up, I was curious to know what was in it.

“The rusty top was peeled back to reveal a lot of mess, but also three recognisable live rounds.

“It was all in a day’s volunteering – and a lot easier to carry than the two rusty old supermarket trolleys and a car battery which some thoughtless person had dumped in the bushes.”

Apart from the usual stack of discarded items, the volunteers also came across a driving licence and a handbag complete with credit cards, but no cash.

Mr Colbourne added: “This was the first time the group had discovered live ammunition. We always find all sorts of nasty things that people have thrown away.”

The finds were handed in to Witney police station.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman confirmed the bullets were live.

The spokesman said: “We have had three live bullets handed in to the station. They have been put in the property department, and will be disposed off.

“They are heavily corroded, so it is hard to say how old they are, but they would have been there for a long time.”

The Witney Woodland Volunteer Group meets every Monday morning.

It has about 25 members. For more details, visit the website www.witneywood.org