The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Live military device find puts estate on lockdown
Bomb disposal team called in and businesses evacuated after worker discovers ‘grenade-like’ object
A live military device sparked a major emergency operation in Arbroath yesterday.
The Elliot Industrial Estate was thrown into lockdown as eight businesses were evacuated.
A bomb disposal team from the Royal Logistic Corps descended on Peasiehill Road shortly after 12.30pm.
Experts removed the device and took it away to carry out a safe explosion.
Crews from the Scottish Fire and Rescue and ambulance services were also on the scene in case of an emergency.
The object, identified as “a live military device”, was first discovered on Wednesday evening by an office worker, but the emergency services were only contacted yesterday morning.
Speaking at the scene, Inspector Steve Rose of Police Scotland said a member of the public had raised the alarm and reported “an explosive device”.
He said: “The fire service and explosive ordnance disposal were called in to make the area safe, as a precaution, and eight businesses were evacuated.
“Everybody has been very helpful and patient. At no point was there any risk to anyone.”
The office worker who reported the find said he had discovered it by chance on a piece of scrub land.
The man, who did not want to be named, said: “I was getting on my bike a couple of nights ago when I saw what looked like a grenade.
“I thought it might have been a toy but it slipped my mind.
“I saw two police officers this morning so mentioned it to them.”
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service station manager Steven Low said: “It was a live military device which has been removed from the area to be examined and exploded.”
Among the businesses evacuated was the Stagecoach depot.
Kenny McWalter, operations manager, said: “We have about 40 staff and the police told us we had to evacuate the building.”