IT is not everyday you find a World War One grenade in your back garden.
George Smith, aged 72, found an armed grenade whilst he was working on a blocked drain at his home.
Mr Smith said: “I was clearing up a blocked land drain between the end of the shed which was blocked with cement and debris.
“I was hitting it with a crow bar and eventually broke through.
“I was pulling the debris out and chucked it in a bucket, and that was when my wife spotted the grenade - I just thought it was more concrete coming out.
“I knew it was a grenade but not a live one - it still had the pin still in - so I knew it wasn’t going to explode.
“We were told it was best to move into the house but with Covid - we were more concerned with going in the house together than dealing with the grenade.”
An eyewitnesses said the bomb squad and at least three police cars were outside a house in Windsor Road, Evesham, at about 3pm.
She said: “I saw the bomb van and at least three police cars.
“There were a lot of neighbours milling around outside.”
Coincidentally, around two minutes before the grenade was found, Mr Smith said a loud bang was heard in the area.
His neighbours then panicked when they saw the bomb squad turn up outside his house moments later - they thought the explosion had occurred at his property.
A crowd soon developed near his property, watching for any updates.
He has taken the dangerous find all in his stride and is keen to get back to work, saying the find had certainly been the highlight of his time in lockdown.
Mr Smith joked: “It’s rather slowed down my working on cleaning the drains!”
A police spokesman said: “Officers were called yesterday at just after 1pm by a member of the public who discovered what he believed was a grenade in Windsor Road, Evesham.
“In order to protect the public a neighbouring property was evacuated and the Army Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) were called.
“They quickly established that it was an empty grenade. The EOD are arranging for it to be safely destroyed.”
Have you had an unusual find on your property?
Contact our community reporter Steven Collins with your story.
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