A WELDER’s Sunday exploded into life when he found a live World War Two grenade in a field he was metal detecting in.

Nick Lambert, 39, was pacing a field at Maldon Hall Farm, on Maldon Road, Maldon on Sunday at about 5pm when he stumbled across the device on a freshly ploughed field.

Mr Lambert, who has been metal detecting on the land for over a decade, was on the out with his dad Andy at the time.

“I just picked it up and saw that it was live, that’s to say it was still complete,” said Mr Lambert.

“It was very rusty all around the top but I knew what it was because i’ve got a defused one at home and i know quite a lot of people who have found them before.

“I’ve found a few old coins before but nothing amazing so it was a surprise to come across this, you don’t expect to find one just lying there in the field.”

Mr Lambert, of Goldhanger Road in Heybridge, was understandably taken aback by the find but decided the best thing to do was to rebury under a tree it and tell the police.

The police were informed at about noon on Monday and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was dispatched from RAF Northalt shortly after.

A controlled explosion was carried out at around 4.30pm and the device was made safe.

The land is owned by John and Anthea Speakman.

Mrs Speakman said: “We’re very lucky because you never know, it could have blown up one of the tractors - you just don’t know.”