Police called in the bomb squad yesterday after a three-year-old boy was spotted standing on a live hand grenade during an Easter egg hunt.

The grenade, believed to be a relic from the Second World War, was found in a field next to a busy road.

The bomb disposal team carried out a controlled explosion.

A Bomb disposal team carries out a controlled explosion at Holford Wood, West Somerset after a hand grenade was found

The bomb team prepares to safely detonate the potentially deadly 'Easter egg'

Stuart Moffatt, pictured with his two daughters, spotted the toddler standing on a live grenade

The grenade was spotted by an eagle-eyed child searching for hidden eggs

The egg-shaped hand grenade was spotted by father-of-three Stuart Moffatt, 34, at the event organised by a pre-school group.

Mr Moffatt, an engineering consultant, was there with his wife Victoria, 35, and their children Nelly, five, Isla, two, and 11-month-old Freddie.

He said: ‘We were beginning to count up the eggs at the end of the hunt and I saw a boy of three standing on an object.

'It was brown and about 4 inches high. It looked like an Easter egg, but it was a hand grenade.



‘I was shocked. The boy who was standing on it thought it was a rock.'

About 25 children, aged between two and five, had been at the hunt near woodland at Holford, Somerset – just yards from the A39.

Stuart alerted organisers from the Stowey Bears pre-school group.

They then slowly moved the children away from the scene, keeping calm in order not to panic them.



When they arrived on the scene, police officers put a 100-metre cordon in place and alerted members of the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, who rushed straight to the scene.

Avon and Somerset Police later confirmed the grenade had been destroyed.

A spokesman for the force said: 'The Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) attended the scene and destroyed the object in a controlled explosion.

'The cordon has been lifted and the local community are thanked for their patience while this incident was dealt with.'

Lorry driver Paul Gibbard, 40, from nearby Stogursey, who was also on the Easter Egg hunt with daughters Ruby, three, and Jade, two, said: 'It was a bit of a shock.

'Apparently there used to be an American Army base in Holford during the Second World War. I think it has to be something to do with that.'

Police evacuated the area while bomb disposal experts dealt with the device

