THE Bomb Squad was called in when hand grenades from the Second World War were discovered in a metal box by builders renovating a house.

Workmen had been using the padlocked box to play cards on during their tea breaks since they found it while in the house in Victoria Street, Westhoughton, three weeks ago.

But curiosity got the better of plasterer Mark Whitton.

He forced the box open with a crowbar . . . and found the two grenades lying alongside a number of bullets.

Mr Whitton, who works for developers, Hargreaves, fled the detached house and phoned the police.

An army bomb disposal team was called and the grenades were taken to wasteland behind Middlebrook police station where a controlled explosion was carried out .

No residents were evacuated during the incident.

Mr Whitton, aged 41, from Urmston, said: "We've seen this box lying around for three weeks and the curiosity finally got to me, so I opened it with a crowbar.

"The box containing the grenades was inside a bigger box we've been using to play cards on, so we've been right next to these grenades for three weeks without knowing they were there.

"I opened the box with a crowbar and they were in the smaller metal box. The second I saw them, I knew what they were and we got out of the house as fast we could and rang the police."

Police believe the grenades were the property of a Second World War veteran who lived in the house until he died 12 months ago.

Insp Peter Hill said: "They appear to have been the property of a war veteran who was living at the address until last year.

"It appears they have been lying quite harmlessly in the house for 60 years and don't appear to have posed a threat to anyone but we have to be very aware that when material like this is discovered that it could pose a danger."

Ian Winstanley, landlord of the Victoria pub, on the corner of Market Street and Victoria Street, said: "I got up this morning and the place was crawling with police.

"I didn't have a clue what was going on until the bomb disposal squad arrived.

"It's a bit of a shock to find out that grenades had been lying in someone's house just a few yards from the pub for all these years."