Bomb disposal officers carried out a controlled explosion on a suspected wartime grenade after it was pulled from a canal in Tameside .

Police were called to Higher Green, just off Curzon Road in Ashton-under-Lyne on Sunday night.

The device - described by GMP as 'old and rusty' - was fished from the water near Portland Basin earlier that day by magnet fisher Kieran Hurst.

At first the 24-year-old thought it was inert, and after finishing up at the canal put it in a bag and took it home with him.

(Image: ASP)

Several hours later, he and his partner decided to take a closer look at the find - which they believe to be from the First World War or early Second World War - and realised it could still be active.

They called police, and were told to place suspected grenade into a plastic tub filled with water and take it outside.

The street was taped off, and photos from the scene show the tub on the ground next to a wall inside the cordon.

Bomb disposal officers arrived at around 10.40pm to inspect the device.

(Image: ASP)

A spokesman for GMP later confirmed a controlled explosion had taken place.

They are yet to confirm if it was an active grenade or not.

The force said in a statement: "Police were called shortly after 7.45pm on Sunday to Curzon Road, Ashton-under-Lyne to a report of the discovery of a suspected historic grenade.

"Bomb disposal officers attended and a controlled explosion of the device was carried out."