Bomb disposal squad drama at Leven golf club

EMERGENCY: Links course cordoned off after wartime grenade found on beach

The discovery of an unexploded hand grenade saw part of a Fife golf course cordoned off yesterday.

A walker found the Second World War bomb on a stretch of the beach by Leven Links Golf Course.

Police were alerted around 12.25pm and the army’s bomb disposal team was drafted in from Edinburgh to dispose of the device.

Four holes on the course were declared a no-go zone as emergency services dealt with the incident.

Golfers were alerted to the drama in a message from the club, which told them holes four, five, 12 and 14 were off limits.

The grenade was found washed up near Fife Coastal Path, close to where others have been uncovered at Silverburn Park.

Finlay Galloway, who works in the course’s shop, said: “We had an unexploded grenade found on the beach side of the fourth hole at Leven.

“It was found by someone walking on the coastal path.

“We’ve had to close four of our holes. Greenkeeping staff are making sure the area is secure.”

A police spokeswoman said: “Police in Fife were called to a coastal path close to Silverburn Park in Leven at around 12.25pm on Wednesday September 4 following a report that an antique grenade had been found.”

She said officers were at the scene and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team has been called to help with disposal of the item.

Bomb disposal experts at the scene refused to confirm exactly what the item in question was, but it was destroyed in a controlled explosion shortly after 4.45pm.

Walkers using the Fife Coastal Path were stopped by police officers who had been called upon to help keep the area safe.

Allotments at Silverburn Park, which was used by Polish soldiers during the Second World War, were closed after at least three grenades were found there last summer.

A sweep was conducted early this year by a specialist contractor and more items were found than expected.

More grenades and bullets were dug up, as well other wartime artefacts such as corned beef tins.

Picture: Steve Brown. An army bomb disposal unit from Edinburgh was called in to conduct the controlled explosion on Leven beach yesterday.