Shock at grenade find as Shropshire family clears out granddad's garage

Cyril Steed saw action in France during the war, and stored the grenade for the rest of his life at his house in Cornwall until he died last year aged 91. He had survived his wife of 65 years, Mary, by two years.

It was when his granddaughters Imogene Steed and Catherine Catton were clearing out his house when that they suddenly came across the grenade.

Catherine, who travelled to her grandfather's home from Telford, said: "We found the grenade whilst cleaning out the garage and called the police.

"They sent the explosive ordinance disposal team from Plymouth, who said it was an American Second World War high explosive grenade.

"They taped it up and put it in an explosive box for a controlled explosion."

The package was taken by convoy through the town – much to the enjoyment of Catherine's children Zoe, 11, and Noah, 9.

The controlled explosion was carried out on the Hayle Beach.

"Noah and Zoe couldn't believe their eyes," Catherine said.

In Shropshire the bomb squad was sent to Shrewsbury in February last year after old grenades were found in a suitcase in the loft.

The grenades, found at Halfway House, were found to be inactive.

And in 2016, another inactive bomb was found in Bridgnorth, and was taken to be destroyed.