Bomb disposal experts called in after Second World War grenade found in garage
A bomb squad descended on a Black Country street after a Second World War grenade was found in a garage.
West Midlands Police were called to Cradley, just before 2.20pm on Thursday to reports of a grenade being found in a garage during a house clearance.
A police cordon was put in place, while residents were advised to stay in their houses, or to leave the area around Hillbank Road and Furlong Lane.
It is believed a house clearance team found the grenade in a box, along with other ammunition, according to a resident.
The bomb disposal team were on the scene for around 15 minutes, before leaving the road. A police spokesman told the Express & Star that everything was "safe and clear" shortly after 9pm when the police cordon was lifted.
Brown wooden boxes could be seen stacked up in the doorway of the garage, before being removed by officers.
Neighbours spoke of their shock at what was found in the garage.
Ian Hunt, 42, who lives on the same street, said: "We came back down here earlier in the car, and we couldn't get through because of the cordon.
"His family had hired a house clearance – they were going through stuff and found a box with a grenade in it. They said there were other boxes there so they didn't touch them.
"We don't have something like this everyday. The whole street couldn't believe it. They didn't know if the grenade was live or not. The removal men told us the grenade was rusty and still had the pin in it.
"Residents have just left the area and gone to stay elsewhere. There was seven police cars here at one point.
"We've only lived here a couple of years but it is always a busy road. But nothing like this has happened – it's definitely a one off incident."
Henry Cole, 69, said: "The first I heard about it was when a police officer knocked on our door and told me not to go in my back garden – because it backs onto the house. I was told they found an unexploded grenade and some ammunition. They found it in the garage.
"Where he brought it back from I don't know. Someone said he had died recently. I was told they sent one of those police dogs in there earlier, so they thought it was live.
"It's not something you expect to see around here anyway.
"I was told by the police the bomb squad were coming from Bristol."
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said the explosive ordnance disposal team were called and the road has been closed as a precaution.
The added the grenade was thought to date back to to the Second World War.
People living nearby were advised to remain indoors.
