A bomb alert on the site where a basketball hall built specially for the Olympics is being dismantled, turned out to be a false alarm – when it was found to be just a piece of rusty old pipe.

Porter’s Fields in Leyton Marsh was evacuated by police on Friday at around 4.30pm, after workers believed they had uncovered a small unexploded bomb from World War Two.

An hour and a half later a spokesman from the Olympic Delivery Authority later confirmed the discovery on the Metropolitan Open Land behind Lea Bridge Road ice rink was not a bomb at all.

“After assessing the suspected device it was confirmed by experts as a piece of rusty pipe - not an incendiary device,” he said.

“At no time was there any risk to residents or workers on site and the procedures in place worked effectively.”

A real World War Two incendiary bomb was unearthed on the site in March after the ODA dug 50cm deep into the ground, breaching Waltham Forest Council’s planning condition they could dig 15cm.

Many Hackney residents who use the land for recreation were up in arms when Waltham Forest councillors awarded the MOL site planning permission in January.

Their anger deepened when it emerged asbestos – which is dangerous to human health when airborne – had been dug up and piles of rubble containing it were left on site uncovered for weeks.