Dog walker finds hand grenade in Berkhamsted park

A dog walker was left 'shocked' when he found a live hand grenade in a Berkhamsted park on Friday morning.

At around 11am, Kev Pocock, who is a keen metal detectorist, was walking his dog in Northchurch Common when he made the discovery.

He called the police immediately as he knew exactly what it was.

The 34-year-old said: "I was walking my dog when I saw a circular metal object in the ground with squares on it.

"I began to dig around it and when I saw more I knew exactly what it was, I was shocked at what I had found.

"I rang the police straight away and about seven cars and a van turned up and the bomb squad, the grenade was live.

"The area was closed off and they detonated it at the scene and then it was all re-opened to the public."

Police were called just before 11am on Friday, June 5, following reports that a suspected hand grenade had been discovered on Northchurch Common, off Norcott Hill.

Officers attended and a specialist unit from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) arrived to assess the device.

A cordon was put in place to ensure the safety of the public and the EOD took the device to a location on the Ashridge Estate before carrying out a controlled explosion at 3pm.