A bomb squad were called to detonate a hand grenade discovered by a shocked member of the public in Doune at the weekend.
The alarm was raised when two walkers spotted the explosive device at the allotments near King Street around 11am on Saturday.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police were called after an old hand grenade was discovered at the allotments near King Street, in Doune, around 11.15am on Saturday, April 30, 2022.
“As a precaution a cordon was put in place and King Street was closed.
“EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) attended and carried out a controlled explosion nearby.”
The historic grenade was disposed of in the controlled explosion in a nearby field.
The cordon was removed and King Street re-opened at around 1.45pm.
Police say there was no risk to the public and no properties were evacuated due to remote location.
A bomb squad from the Army who conducted the controlled explosion said that it appeared to be a World War II era ‘Mills’ style grenade.
A spokesperson said: “We can confirm that an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from Edinburgh Troop, 521 EOD Sqn, 11 EOD&S Regt, responded to Doune at the request of Police Scotland.
“The item was identified as a WWII era ‘Mills’ style grenade, and was destroyed by controlled explosion. The exact model of grenade could not be identified due to the level of corrosion.”
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In August 2014, the Observer reported how bomb squad officers were called out to the allotments after a piece of old armoury was dug up. It happened just days before events to mark the opening of the allotments. However, the item proved not to be live or dangerous and the opening of the project, run by Kilmadock Community Allotment Group, went ahead on as planned.
The field was once part of an old munitions dump during World War II.
In May 2019, we told how a primary school pupil sparked panic after finding a live WWI hand grenade while on a trip in Aberfoyle.
The youngster came across the explosive device in a burn a short distance from Dounans Outdoor Centre in the village. The pupil picked up the rusting old wartime shell and carried it back to the centre, where alarmed staff called police.
Police set up a cordon to keep members of the public at a safe distance and a controlled explosion was carried out.
The device turned out to be an old, ‘No 36 Grenade’ which dates as far back as the early 20th century. The ‘No 36 Grenade’ was a popular explosive with the British Army dating back to the First World War. It was designed and created by William Mills, a hand grenade designer from Sunderland.
They were the first modern fragmentation grenades used by the British Army and saw widespread use in World War I.
The No. 36 Mk. 1 was first introduced in May 1918.
In March 2016, we reported how police were called to the Blairlogie home of ex-Scotland rugby star Kenny Logan after an unexploded World War Two hand grenade was discovered.
The grenade, which was found by workmen on the Powis Mains farm, was blown up by bomb disposal experts and police said there was no risk to the public.
Construction workers were laying the foundations for a new housing development when they spotted the explosive under a shed.
Police were then called out to the home, owned by Logan and his TV presenter wife, Gabby, to seal off the surrounding area and deal with the incident.
In August 2013, we told how residents of a Fallin street had to be evacuated from their homes after the discovery of a Second World War hand grenade.
Police said that a device from the war had been found near to the River Forth at Fallin and then taken to an address at Hawthorn Crescent.
An Army Explosive Ordnance team was scrambled to the village and checks uncovered that the grenade was still live after around 60 years. The team took the bomb away for disposal and residents were allowed to return to their homes.
