Members of the Canadian Forces safely detonated what is believed to be a Second World War-era mortar round Wednesday, after it was located by a souvenir hunter east of Toronto.

The war relic was discovered Tuesday afternoon by a Second World War artifact hunter who was using a metal detector in Intrepid Park at the Whitby-Oshawa border. The man was on the shores of Lake Ontario when he received a strong signal and began digging.

He unearthed what police believe is a rusted Second World War mortar round.

The site where the mortar was discovered is the former site of Camp X, where allies trained their spies during the Second World War.

Durham region police said Wednesday in a tweet that members of CFB Trenton had safely detonated the mortar round.

Following the detonation, police and military bomb technicians were searching the area along with members of the Oshawa fire department.

With files from CP24