February brought a ‘blast from the past’ after a controlled explosion was carried out at Elstree Studios.

Contractors removing the Mound, a pile of rubble and earth at the back of Elstree Studios in Shenley Road, Borehamwood, discovered what seemed to be an unexploded bomb,

The device was detonated during a controlled explosion later that day.

Chairman of Elstree Studios, Councillor Morris Bright, said: “I thought they’d dig up a few skeletons but never a bomb. You hear stories of bombs being found but don’t expect it to happen in your back yard.”

Cllr Bright said the unexploded device could have been a relic from the Second World War, but former curator of Elstree and Borehamwood Museum Alan Lawrence said it was more likely to have been a prop from one of the many war films made on the site, or even perhaps from a Monty Python film.

Elsewhere in Elstree Studios news, a former studio canteen lady celebrated her 100th birthday.

More than 50 friends and former colleagues gathered with Kathryn Lake, who had served food to the Beatles and Tom Jones, to share cake and wine and reminisce about the old days.

She said: “I had great fun working there. I met so many famous people, including the Osmonds.

"Borehamwood is nice, though it has changed so much. It used to be empty then.”

Also this month, travellers who set up camp in the Elstree Business Centre were served a court order to leave.

A witness, who asked not to be named, reported that the 35 caravans broke in through the gates using bolt cutters.

The travellers left behind piles of rubbish including sofas, mattresses, broken glass, DVDs, rubble, window frames and boxes of bank statements and VAT receipts, none of which had been there before, according to several witnesses.