WW2 grenade present in Quality Street tin forces bomb disposal crew to hurry to accommodate
Danny Wyatt, 48, was clearing out a shed next to his house in Hellesdon, Norfolk, when he found the explosive with its pin and lever still in – before bomb disposal teams safely detonated it at a nearby golf course
A man stumbled upon a WW2 grenade tucked inside an old Quality Street tin whilst having a clear-out of his shed – prompting bomb disposal experts to race to his home. Danny Wyatt was sorting through a shed adjoining his property in Hellesdon, Norfolk when he uncovered the explosive device – complete with its pin and lever still intact.
The 48-year-old – who shares his home with wife Claire – explained the shed was packed with belongings left behind by the house’s former occupant, John Browning.
He reckons the grenade was John’s – a man in his 90s – after discovering he’d taken part in the D-Day operations in 1944.
Danny, who works as a stage builder, recalled: “I was clearing out the shed and I pulled the grenade out of the tin and was a bit stunned. Then after a little while I thought ‘hang on a minute’.
“I phoned the police non-emergency line and they seemed surprised. They put me through to the main switchboard and the next thing you know they had the road cordoned off.
“We bought the house about five years ago off a man in his 90s named John Browning, who was an old headmaster. He is buried in the churchyard over the road.
“He was heavily involved in D-Day, so it may have been a souvenir from the war.” Norfolk Police turned up at Danny’s home around 11am before military bomb disposal specialists arrived to handle the explosive.
A 100-metre safety zone was established and the grenade was successfully detonated at 3pm. Yet despite all the commotion, Mr Wyatt remained remarkably calm throughout the entire ordeal.
He said: “I just thought it was quite funny, I was not that phased. We moved here five years ago and it is bizarre that I have never knowingly looked in the tin.
“The police and bomb squad advised me to leave the house but I thought it was not going to go off, so I stayed clearing the garage. The next thing I know I see an army bloke come past the window. I offered them a cup of tea or coffee.
“The bomb squad said they thought it was live but I don’t think it was much of a risk.” Mr Wyatt remained whilst the explosive ordnance disposal team X-rayed the grenade.
He continued: “They hummed and hawed for a bit and then picked it up and walked off. They drove it to the golf course and blew it up.
“It is just my luck. It is the sort of thing that happens to me.”
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