4:16pm UK, Thursday June 09, 2005

A large fake penis has caused a major terror alert in America.

A key highway through Florida was closed after a driver spotted what looked like a pipe bomb under an overpass.

Fearing terrorists were trying to blow up the structure, police closed Interstate 75 for an hour.

But on closer inspection police found that the 'device' was actually a foot-long plastic penis.

"Someone took construction-grade plastic, moulded it into a penis and wrapped it with duct tape," said Lee County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Charles Ferrante.

The bomb squad was brought in to handle the situation and a remote-controlled robot used to make the fake penis safe.