A GRENADE was found in the canal in East Lancashire on Thursday afternoon.

Bomb disposal teams from Lancashire Police were called to the scene off Lowther Street in Nelson after midday.

Eyewitnesses posted on social media photographs of some of the vans outside their properties and were asking if anyone knew what was happening.

Bev Harrison, who lives nearby, said: "I thought it can’t be too dangerous as they have not asked us to leave the house.

“So I put the dogs in a safe place and took the photos. We believe it was an hand grenade.

“There were lots of metal objects taken from that spot the other week.

“I think a fisherman saw it in or near the canal.

“I am just glad that no-one was hurt by it.”

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “We were called at 12.25pm yesterday to reports of a suspicious object in the canal at Lowther Street, Nelson.

“It appears a member of the public has been magnet fishing and found a grenade.

“Explosive Ordnance Disposal team were called and a cordon was put in place.

“A grenade was removed from the scene by EOD officers. The cordon was taken down around 2.40pm.”