BOMB disposal experts were called to a school after the gardener discover- ed a hand grenade while mowing a lawn.

The drama started when the worker’s mower caught on what he believed was a stone at Pleckgate High School, Blackburn.

He picked up the item and was ready to throw it out of the way when he suddenly realised it was a grenade.

The worker carefully placed the explosive away from the school and went to alert the headmaster.

Police were sent to the Pleckgate Road school at 9.30am. Officers then called for the Army’s bomb disposal team.

An area was cordoned off and students were moved away from two nearby classrooms.

It was quickly established that the Second World War grenade was not live and by 11am cordon was lifted.

The gardener, who declined to be named, said: “The bomb disposal team started looking for the pin of the grenade which made me a bit nervous, but they didn’t find it.

“It was all happening so fast I didn’t know what to think, but so many have been discovered without going off that there was only a faint chance of it happening.

“Having picked it up I thought I should move it away from the school, then I placed it down on my coat so the police could see where it was.

“I didn’t think they would appreciate my throwing it away and losing it.”

Headteacher Robin Campbell said he had no idea how long the grenade, which was discovered stuck in some short grass, had been there.

He said: “It could have been here 70 years but we just don’t know.

“I’m not sure if the lie of the land has changed or something has disturbed it below the surface to bring it above ground now.

“I’m sure it will become part of the curriculum now and will feature in future history lessons at the school.”

A Religious Education GCSE exam had just begun at the school, but it was at the other side of the building and was not affected.

Mr Campbell said a letter had been sent home with students to reassure parents and explain the procedure followed by the school.

“We took all the precautions we felt were necessary,” he said. “The students were safe at all times. The police said we didn’t need to evacuate the school but we moved people away from the two nearest rooms, just to be sure.

“The bomb disposal team was called from Chester but they spent only 10 minutes here, they said it wasn’t live and took it away with them. Everything was over by midday.”

Inspector Bilal Mulla, of Blackburn police, said: “We received a call from Pleckgate High School and, after attending, called out the EOD Bomb Disposal Engineers from the Army.

“The area was cordoned off and the situation was dealt with quickly.”