Grenade blown up by police in Staines

May 20 2009 By Mark Goode

The hole which is now partially filled in at the cricket ground

A HIGH explosive fragmentation grenade that was handed in to Staines Police Station has been detonated at a sports ground.

The live grenade was handed into officers in Kingston Road on Friday and is said to have been dug up by a householder in Shepperton while gardening.

Police evacuated the front counter and a number of rooms on the first floor while an army bomb disposal unit came and took the grenade to Staines and Laleham Sports Association Road where it was detonated.

Brett Archer, 33, who is captain of Staines and Laleham Cricket Club, said: "It had to be done and I suppose they chose our ground because it was a large open space. But it was a bit annoying because it left a large hole in our grounds."

The grenade was exploded at 2.47pm while Worple Road, Staines, was closed. The hole was originally three feet deep, but the groundsmen of the club have since filled it in with about £30 worth of topsoil.

Mr Archer said: Although the hole is filled in it is a bit of an eyesore, and it was a bit harder to play a match on Saturday. Luckily it wasn't near the cricket square, but we had to shorten the boundaries so the crater was just outside. I was afraid some of the smaller players might fall inside."

Police said they knew it was live and unstable due to the markings on it and an X-ray that was carried out, but it is not yet clear from what era the hand grenade is from.

The squad are now hoping to re-fill the hole properly, and Brett said they may take up the police's offer of paying for any costs involved.

Do you know who found the grenade? Please call us on 01932 561111 or email markgoode@trinitysouth.co.uk