Schoolboy Andrew Marton took it in his stride when he unearthed a hand grenade while mowing his grandparents' lawn.

Even his mother and grandparents were totally unperturbed by the discovery, as they dropped it in a flowerbed and left it there for A WEEK.

But when police were finally told, they called in the Bomb Squad who raced down the motorway to deal with the potentially dangerous device.

It turned out to be harmless, but 14-year-old Andrew and his family have now been given some stern advice - tell us immediately next time as it could have been dangerous.

The drama began when Andrew hit the First World War grenade with the mower as he cut the lawn for his grandparents, Basil and Nancy Sharpus, both 80, at their home in Longworth Road, Charney Bassett, near Wantage.

Andrew, who goes to King Alfred's School, Wantage, told the Oxford Mail: "I was mowing the lawn, doing the bank, and I hit it then. "I just saw it and came home. I was told it was a hand grenade - it looked like a light bulb. I was very surprised."

Andrew, who lives with his mum Diana Marton at Bagmere Farm just outside the village, mows the lawn - where his grandparents have lived for 43 years - every week, but had never come across it before.

Nancy said: "We picked it up because we thought somebody else might hit it with the mower and popped it in the flowerbed to get it out of the way.

"We decided to ring the police who said the Bomb Squad probably wouldn't come out till Monday. The next thing I know the policeman's panicking, saying we are getting the Bomb Squad now."

Officers from the Bomb Squad, who drove from RAF Northolt to X-ray the hand grenade, found there was nothing suspicious inside it and took it away.

A friend who helps on the farm said: "The Bomb Squad were happy that it was quite safe. They actually said to Mrs Marton that quite a lot of old bombs have been found in the Charney Bassett area.

"They said that next time we phone them, don't joke about it for a week."

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