Grenade is found at West Bromwich drugs factory

Police found the device on a fireplace at the terraced house in Greets Green Road last night.

Eight houses were evacuated until the Army confirmed the device was actually a shock grenade, used in training operations.

Police today said the grenade is capable of releasing smoke but is not deadly.

Officers, who were first called at 6pm, found 46 cannabis plants with a street value of £18,400 in two bedrooms inside the two-storey house.

They also found a ball bearing gun in a cupboard.

Searches of the property were continuing to take place today.

West Bromwich Inspector Akeel Najib said it was "an elaborate set-up".

"Electricity had been extracted from the mains as part of this operation," he said.

"The grenade was on the fireplace.

"They obviously wanted people who visited the house to know that they had it.

"The shock grenade can still explode. It can cause windows to smash and releases smoke but it is not harmful. It was seized and taken away to be destroyed."

Residents were allowed back in their homes at 7.40pm.

Two men, aged 28 and 33, were arrested on suspicion of production of a controlled drug and were today continuing to help police with their inquiries

Paul Elias, who has lived in Greets Green Road for nine years, was among those evacuated.

He said: "It was all quiet until yesterday afternoon when a whole load of police cars turned up. There were about six of them.

"The police got a battering ram and smashed through the door.

"Then about an hour later I got a knock on the door from an officer who asked if I would mind evacuating. He said they had found something dangerous but they would not tell us what it was.

"We were told we could return home after about an hour. About an hour after that bomb disposal teams turned up. They were in there about half an hour. It was a little bit exciting and bit scary because we did not know what was going on."