Bomb squad called over rusty grenade

A rusted grenade shell prompted a visit from the bomb squad to a south Canterbury museum yesterday.

The old hand grenade rolled out of an old freezer while Fairlie Heritage museum staff were clearing rubbish for the dump and caused panic, the Timaru Herald reported.

Police taped the area off and called in the bomb squad just in case but it turned out to be an empty shell filled with clay and no pin.

Tekapo military camp warrant officer Sam Staley said while the grenade had probably been in the rubbish for some time and was rusted up, they could not take any chances.

- NZPA