Investigation into grenade found in school grounds (From Surrey Comet)

Investigation into grenade found at New Malden school

2:40pm Friday 12th October 2012 in News By Clare Buchanan

An investigation is under way into the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a World War II hand grenade at a school.

The grenade was blown up by a bomb squad in the grounds of Burlington Junior School, in New Malden, as pupils studied after it was discovered in April this year.

At the time, the Surrey Comet was told a gardener had found the six-decade-old weapon when preparing an allotment and digging out rusty nails more than an hour before children arrived for school.

This paper has now learned the grenade may have been found earlier than originally thought and some people employed by the school could be at risk of losing their jobs.

A Kingston Council spokesman confirmed an inquiry was being carried out.

The spokesman said: “There is an internal investigation under way at Burlington Junior School in relation the discovery of a World War II hand grenade earlier this year and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage until this investigation has been completed.”

No one was hurt during the incident and a police bomb squad safely cordoned off the area, allowing children to start their lessons as normal.