WW1 grenade sparks major evacuation after being handed to auction to be sold

An unexpected discovery among a batch of garden tools brought to a Devon auction house turned out to be World War One grenade, sparking a major evacuation.

Staff at Dartmoor Auctions in Sticklepath, near Okehampton, became concerned when they noticed an unusual item within a collection submitted for sale.

Auctioneer Anne Thorpe sought advice from a military specialist before alerting the authorities as a precautionary measure.

The object was subsequently identified as a German M1914 rifle grenade dating from the 1914-18 conflict by the Royal Navy.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

Ms Thorpe described the experience as "quite an interesting day" after the century-old weapon prompted an emergency response.

Officers arrived at the scene at approximately 13:30pm yesterday after receiving the call, according to police.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was notified and a precautionary cordon extending 100 metres was established around the premises.

Following examination of the device, the Royal Navy confirmed the grenade posed no immediate threat.

Specialists determined it was "safe to move in its current state" and announced plans to transport the munition for destruction at a secure location.

Explaining her approach to potentially hazardous items, Ms Thorpe said: "We have to be careful, because in cases like this one, it's not always obvious what items are.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Blind veteran, 91, honoured with prestigious award for creative woodwork
• Civil servants played Grand Theft Auto during work hours at taxpayers' expense
• Football superfan covers his home in England flags for World Cup

"So we have to be careful to research everything, just to make sure that we're doing the right things and keeping everybody safe."

The auction house has encountered military artefacts on previous occasions.

Ms Thorpe noted they once received a live detonator from a wartime shell, which bomb disposal experts collected and detonated.

Ammunition has also been handed in, ranging from contemporary rounds to historic wartime bullets.

She attributed such discoveries to a tradition of service personnel bringing back souvenirs from both world wars.

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter