Bomb disposal unit called to Wolverhampton home after grenade find
A Second World War hand grenade was found in the back garden of a home, prompting Army bomb disposal experts to be called in.
Electrician Barry Charters was digging the garden of his Wolverhampton home when he stumbled upon the grenade.
Realising what it was, Mr Charters called police to his home in Sheila Avenue, Wednesfield.
Mr Charters, who shares the home with his 23-year-old partner Mary Nicholls, said: "I was just digging in the garden and I hit something hard.
"I took a look at it and it turned out to be a Second World War grenade.
"I wasn't really worried about it going off but I didn't really know what to do with it so I called the police.
"There were quite a few police at first because there was an initial panic but then it calmed down and we waited for the army bomb disposal team to come.
"They looked at it and said there was no fuse in it anyway. They took it away with them."
Mr Charters, aged 37, was asked to vacate his home until they arrived, while some neighbours were asked to stay inside as a precaution.
The discovery was made just before 5pm yesterday.
Gina Lycett, spokeswoman for West Midlands Police, said: "We were called to reports that someone had been digging a garden and found what was believed to be a hand grenade.
"Police have attended and called in the Army disposal team."
Residents of the quiet cul-de-sac reported coming home and seeing a number of police cars.
One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "When I came home there were around five police cars and we didn't know what was happening.
"It's quite a close-knit community so people wondered what was going on. But then three of the police cars left and it didn't seem to be anything too dramatic."
