Alarm as ‘bomb’ is found at mansion
Volunteer coordinator Penny explained:“I was picking up bits of rubble off the floor when I picked up a propeller-type thing. I realised it wasn’t something that should be handled and very carefully put it back down again and stepped away.
“It had numerous fins on it with a cylinder attached. I’d say it was eight to ten inches long. It had clearly been there for a long time.
“It was only afterwards that it hit home that I could have set it off by picking it up.
“I had a look on the internet later on. I thought it might be a WW1 device. I’m not sure if it’s WW2. Certainly, the occupants of the house had been involved in the First World War.”
The trust responsible for A-listed Bannockburn House – which stands 150 yards from the outbuildings where the device was discovered – was purchased late last year in a community buyout. Up to that point almost 4000 people had visited the property where, in 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed before and after the Battle of Culloden.
Chairman of Bannockburn Heritage Trust Alan Marshall said yesterday he thought the item from the garage could be from WW2.
He added:“It’s quite exciting, but you cannot take a chance with these things. Thankfully no-one kicked it when it was discovered. Police were at the scene yesterday and a cordon was put around the outbuildings.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said yesterday:“Police in Forth Valley are in attendance at Bannockburn House, near Stirling, after a member of the public discovered a piece of unexploded ordnance. The militarygrade mortar was found in an outhouse this morning, Thursday, April 26.
“Specialist engineers from the Explosives Ordnance Disposal attended, removed the mortar to a safe distance and carried out a controlled explosion.”