Homes evacuated as police and army bomb disposal units swoop on quiet town
18.02.2024 - 21:23
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Army bomb disposal experts were called to a quiet town on the Cheshire border after an explosive device was found on a canal barge. The incident happened in New Mills, near Disley, and led to homes being evacuated on Saturday (February 17).
Police officers discovered an unexploded grenade on the boat. A safety zone of 100 metres was set up around the area, and people living within the zone had to leave their homes, reports CheshireLive.
The Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team came to check the grenade and later decided it posed no threat. The safety zone was lifted at about 4.30pm. The local police team thanked everyone for their understanding after the incident.
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In a social media update from the Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team for Buxton, officers at Derbyshire Police Force explained how the incident unfolded.
The post read: "Yesterday, SNT assisted response officers when a call came in about an unexploded grenade on a canal barge in New Mills. A 100m police cordon was quickly put in place, and anyone within the 100m’s was asked to evacuate whilst we waited for the Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team (EOD) to safely examine the item.
"After a thorough inspection, EOD determined the grenade to be safe and the police cordon was closed at approx. 16:30hrs. Thank you to all members of the public who spoke to our officers on the cordon for their understanding and we apologise for any disturbance caused.
"It is common for families of war veterans to find these unexpected souvenirs, a lot of service members either bought them home from the war or purchased them later. However, devices like the one below can remain intact for decades and explode