Drama after grenade is found in canal
HOMES were evacuated and streets shut off when a grenade was found in a canal in Rochdale.
Police were alerted by a fisherman after he found the device in the Rochdale Canal near the bridge at the junction of Milkstone Road and Well I’Th Lane.
Officers attended the scene shortly before 2pm on Sunday and cleared all residents from their houses within a 100m area and put a cordon in place.
A bomb disposal team was also called to the canal to dispose of the grenade.
Sam Hussain, who lives on Milkstone Road, said he was one of the first residents out of their homes.
He said: I went over to the police officer and his words were that someone fished out a grenade from the canal. When they said it was an explosive device I thought they were having a laugh. It was only a few meters away from where I live.
“It was a big shock to everyone, but I don’t think anyone thought it was anything sinister.
“Quite a few people went to Deeplish Community Centre up the road. It was all over relatively quickly.
“It’s not the first time that they’ve found grenades in Rochdale.”
Immtiaz Rafique, whose mother lives on Milkstone Road, was returning from her daughter’s house when she saw the incident.
She said: “I was coming to my mothers house about 2.30pm and the road was blocked off. The police told us that they found a grenade. We were only let back in the house about 4.30pm. We were out for about two hours.
“I was very worried because I wanted to come home and I was worried about my mum who is 69.
“The good thing is that they did it all brilliantly and evacuated everyone.”
GMP said there were ‘no suspicious circumstances’ surrounding the incident.
A spokesman said: “At 1.55pm police were called to the Rochdale Canal in Rochdale at the junction of Milkstone Road and Well I’Th Lane. A fisherman had found what was believed to be a grenade. The bomb disposal team was contacted and attended the scene to dispose of the item. There are no suspicious circumstances. Some houses were evacuated within 100m of the immediate area which is normal procedure.”