UPDATE: |’I couldn’t ignore what I found at beauty spot – there are families here’ News

‘Better safe than sorry’

An angler has spoken of his shock after finding two suspected grenades at a beauty spot. Part of Rivington reservoir was cordoned off following the discovery late on Good Friday night (April 18).

The fisherman, who asked not to be named, set up on the bank hoping to catch bream. He then spotted something in the mud.

The alarm was raised and emergency services raced to the scene. The bomb squad was later called as the investigation continued into Saturday.

It was later deemed the devices were ‘training grenades from the 1940s to 1960s’, police said. The angler told the Manchester Evening News: “If you just ignored it and kicked them to the side and then a family came down and they weren’t safe, you would never live with yourself.

“There were families there yesterday with dogs. Kids could have picked that up and thrown it. You just never know. Better safe than sorry – we’re not bomb experts are we?

“It looks like they were thrown there when the water was up, and then when the water’s dropped it exposed them. It’s not every day you come across that.

Horrobin Lane, which crosses over the reservoir, was cordoned off by police at either end as EOD specialists investigated. A drone was deployed, hovering over the area of bank where the angler had spotted the devices.

The devices are understood to have been deactivated.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Constabulary said: “A team from Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) have attended the site on Horrobin LAne and assessed the devices which appear to be training grenades from the 1940s-1960s.

“They were previously deactivated posed no threat. The cordon has now been stood down and the area is open again for public access.”