A World War I artillery shell, dating back to 1918, was discovered lodged in a 24-year-old French man’s rectum, prompting a dramatic evacuation at a hospital in Toulouse, France.

The man, whose identity remains undisclosed, was rushed to the Rangueil Accident and Emergency unit on January 31, complaining of extreme discomfort.

During emergency surgery, doctors discovered the eight-inch-long shell and alerted authorities, fearing it might explode.

Bomb disposal units and the fire brigade were called to the scene, and the hospital was evacuated as a precautionary measure. A security perimeter was established while experts worked to defuse the live bomb.

“The patient had inserted a large object up his rectum, and it turned out to be an artillery shell from the First World War,” a police source said. The situation was eventually brought under control, but the incident highlighted the unexpected risks faced by medical staff.

The circumstances surrounding the lodging of the antique brass-and-copper shell in the man’s rectum remain unclear.

Authorities are set to interview him this week, with some French media speculating that the unusual incident might have been the result of a party stunt gone wrong.

The prosecutors are considering charges against the man for handling “category A munitions”, a serious offense which can carry a sentence of upto ten years .

The shell, dating back to World War I, is similar to hundreds of thousands deployed by Imperial German forces against Allied troops on the Western Front.

It’s unclear how the man came into possession of the shell or why he inserted it into his rectum. The incident has raised questions about the handling and disposal of unexploded ordnance from past conflicts.