Alert as grenade found in Willenhall garden

Homes were evacuated and bomb disposal experts called in when a man found a grenade in his garden shed.

Andy Pearce, aged 35, of Gipsy Lane, Willenhall, found the weapon on Saturday afternoon when looking for an extension lead in a shed he had not opened for 15 years.

Mr Pearce, who has lived in his home for 20 years and works for the Citizens Advice Bureau in Wolverhampton, said the grenade weighed about two pounds and said he was not sure how it ended up there.

"I saw it and had absolutely no idea it was there but it was just behind some tins of paint," he said.

"It's probably been there for years."

The drama unfolded at 2pm on Saturday but the grenade was found to be empty and not a risk to the public.