Emergency services were called and a cordon was put in place.
Bomb disposal experts were deployed as residents spent a number of hours outside their homes during the incident.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson later that the item had been taken away to be safely destroyed.
The spokesperson said: “The item found in Ashton was moved by Explosive Ordnance Disposal to north Wales to be destroyed.
"All evacuated residents were allowed back in their homes at around 9.45pm.”
