Street cleared as stash of grenades found

People were evacuated from their homes after a deceased neighbour's box of old grenades and shells was discovered.

The bomb squad was summoned to Cleveland Terrace in Newbiggin, Northumberland, on Tuesday evening to deal with the explosive stash.

It is believed the box remained in the attic of a house after a previous occupant died.

Northumbria Police cleared neighbouring properties while explosives experts checked the items and removed them.

One Newbiggin resident, Michelle, took in relatives from one of the evacuated houses.

She said: "My father-in-law went outside to see what was happening at 22 Cleveland Terrace, because there were a lot of police around, and he was told that he had to leave his house.

"Apparently the man that owned it died a while ago and a family member was clearing it out and found a box of grenades and mines in the attic.

"He took it to a military base but they told him to call the police so he left it in his garden.

"The police then called the bomb squad and the street was cordoned off."

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "An explosive ordinance disposal team attended and removed the shells – which were confirmed as inactive – from the address to safely dispose of them."

People were allowed back into their homes just after midnight, more than five hours after the operation to remove the explosives began.

Follow BBC North East on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].