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By Anthony Bond

Last updated at 3:22 PM on 22nd February 2012

After tending to the flower bed in their back garden for many years, little did Les and Sheila Holmes know of what really lay beneath.

But following excavation work, the couple were stunned to find a long-lost Second World War air raid shelter hidden under their flowers.

Relatives of the couple excavated 70 tonnes of earth to reveal the 6ft deep bunker.

What lies beneath: Les Holmes, pictured, and his wife Sheila were stunned to find a long-lost Second World War air raid shelter hidden under their flower bed

Big job: Relatives of the couple excavated 70 tonnes of earth to reveal the 6ft deep bunker, which has now dwarfed their back garden

The 13ft x 5ft hole has now swallowed up most of their tiny back garden in Street, Somerset.

Mr Holmes, 73, and his 72-year-old wife now believe the tin-roofed bomb shelter was built after a local milk factory was bombed by the Nazis.

Their niece Estelle Sparks and her partner Darren Mapstone, both 40, carried out the back-breaking excavation work.

Ms Sparks, a security services worker, said: 'I cannot believe we’ve finally uncovered it after all these years.

'It is only 6ft-deep so people may have had to stoop into it back during the war.

'It is a real piece of history right in our family’s back garden. There were a few old artefacts inside as well - which were exciting finds.

'We’ve had people from the villages around here coming to visit it - some of whom actually sheltered inside during the Second World War.'

The family - led by William Foxwell - moved into the stone cottage in 1962.

He was told there was a large shelter buried underneath the rockery in his garden - believed to have been built after a milk factory in nearby Somerton was bombed.

Two years later farm labourer Les married William’s daughter Sheila and took over the house, inheriting the legacy.

Lack of space: The air raid shelter is only 6ft-deep. This image gives an idea of how cramped the conditions inside would have been

Community spirit: This picture show evening classes taking place in an air raid shelter during the Second World War

Although interested in the idea of uncovering the structure, Mr Holmes was put off by the prospect of having to excavate it by hand.

He said: 'I didn’t know where to start, it was such a big job and I’d have had to do it by hand so I just put off doing anything about it.'

But Ms Sparks and her partner, also from Street, used modern-day excavating equipment to dig out the shelter this week.

The pair moved more than 70 tonnes of earth in a mini digger before uncovering stone steps into the entrance.

Inside they found several artefacts, including broken pieces of pottery and a large collection of bottles - dating back decades.

Now the family are looking to transform the air raid shelter into an underground room.

Mr Mapstone, a civil engineer, said: 'I want to put a roof back on and turn it into a room again.

'I’ve always wanted an underground room, ever since I was a boy. To me, this is just a hole.'