The youngster and a 36-year-old man were arrested after the incident which closed the A509 between Kettering and Wellingborough and caused chaos for villagers in Isham on Wednesday.

They were questioned on Wednesday night, and both have been released on delayed police bail pending further inquiries.

Gillian Bailey, 42, of Kettering Road, found the bottle at about 5pm on Tuesday. She said: "We get a lot of rubbish on the main road and I had gone down there cleaning it up.

"I picked it up and I thought it was just a piece of rubbish so I put it in the bin.

"Then overnight I thought maybe I had better contact the police."

She contacted police on Wednesday morning and was told to put the item on her garden wall, with a sticker saying 'Police Aware' attached. It was removed from the bin by builder Derek Craddock, 39, of Corby, and placed on the wall at about 9.30am where it remained for some hours.

Police arrived at 4.30pm, after further calls from Mrs Bailey, and closed the road.

Mrs Bailey said: "They have got a hard job, but it was worrying as there was liquid in the bottle and it was right in the sun. I was quite shocked at the casual attitude."

An Army bomb disposal team declared the item, which is thought to have contained water, safe at 8pm on Wednesday.

Kerry Bouchier, 27, a barmaid at the Monk & Minstrel pub, opposite the
site of the incident, said: "It is costly on the taxpayer, and it's pathetic."

Nadaragah Ranjan, 32, whose shop stands next to the bus stop where the bottle was found, said: "It is a nice village and all the people are very friendly, so I don't know who would do this."

Superintendent Bob Smart, head of the Force's communications centre, said: "We are looking into this incident. If the investigation finds there are lessons to be learned we will take them on board."