Royal Navy Portsmouth bomb disposal team alerted after Second World War Mills hand grenade found in New Forest, between Beaulieu Road Station and Lyndhurst

BOMB disposal experts were alerted after a Second World War hand grenade was found in the New Forest.

A member of the public came across the Mills explosive on land between Beaulieu Road Station and Lyndhurst on Sunday.

The Royal Navy’s explosive ordnance device (EOD) team from Portsmouth responded.

They removed the grenade from the scene and made it safe, according to police.

A spokesperson from the Royal Navy said: Bomb disposal experts from Bravo Squadron of the Royal Navy’s Diving Threat and Exploitation Group (DTXG) were called to an address in Lyndhurst on 11th June at the request of Hampshire police.

“An item of historic ordnance was rendered safe and removed from the area for onward disposal at a defence munitions site.

“It is believed that the item was a mortar from the Second World War era.”

Posting on Facebook afterwards, a local officer said: “We receive lots of reports like this every year so if you find something that you think could be an explosive device don’t touch it, don’t move it.

“Take a note of your exact location – what3words is a great way of doing that – then call us immediately.”