Hand Grenade removed from Bonhams Exeter

A Royal Navy bomb disposal team were called to Bonhams Auctioneers in Southernhay yesterday afternoon after a hand grenade was found in items handed in for appraisal.

Staff discovered the grenade, at around a 2:45pm on Monday (14 April), while searching through items passed to the auctioneers via a probate sale.

The grenade appeared to be live so staff locked the grenade in the safe and evacuated the premises and called police at Heavitree station.

Police set -up a cordon in the area near the Cathedral and called for support from Royal Navy bomb disposal, who arrived at around 5:45pm.

A spokesman for the Royal Navy Confirmed that officers found that the hand grenade was inert despite not having been marked as decommissioned.

Bomb disposal removed the grenade from the scene for destruction.

The area was re-opened by 6pm.

Picture via Exeter Neighbourhood Policing Team Twitter