Holiday makers were evacuated from a beach while a controlled explosion was carried out – after a Second World War BOMB was found in the sand.
Bomb disposal experts were sent to Broadsands in Paignton, Devon, after a beachcomber unearthed a live grenade.
The explosive was found just feet away from more than a hundred holidaymakers and local people who had gone to the beach to enjoy the sunshine.
But members of the Royal Navy bomb squad were able to dispose of the device after moving members of the public away.
Bystanders watched from a distance as the grenade was exploded with a loud bang and a plume of black smoke, sand and debris rose 25 metres into the air.
The explosive was discovered in the sand by a local man who was walking along the beach with his metal detector at 9am on Tuesday.
A police spokesman said the device was rusty and needed to be made safe before the tide swept it away.
He said: ”We were called to a report that a walker on the beach with a metal detector had located what he believed to be a war time grenade.
”After confirmation from the bomb squad that it was a live Second World War grenade, the beach was cleared by the police with the help of a coastguard.
”A controlled explosion was used to disarm seven ounces of plastic explosive.”
Pensioner Bob Finch, 69, witnessed the explosion at 11am as he was in the area making safety repairs to his beach hut.
He said: ”I heard there was a second world war grenade on the beach. The guy who found it comes down here everyday with his metal detector.
”It was a good bang. It sounded like one of those bigger mortars at fireworks displays.”
