A live mortar grenade is found in a workshop being used as an ornament

The Guardia Civil bomb squad in Gran Canaria (GEDEX) have confiscated and safely detonated a live mortar grenade that was being used as an ornament in a workshop attached to a house in Gáldar in Gran Canaria.

The owner of the house contacted the Guardia Civil after a relative told him what it was, as he thought it was an ornament, and said no-one should touch it or go into the room until the police had been to the house.

According to the GEDEX press release, they arrived at the house at 9am last Thursday and cordoned off the area so no-one could enter and so they could examine the grenade in question.

Inside the room they found the grenade in question, which was confirmed to be a live ECIA 81mm mortar grenade, and various other ornamental objects with a military theme.

Once their search was complete, the appropriate security measures were taken to remove the mortar shell from the workshop, and they took it to a remote military location to detonate it safely away from anyone.

The man is now under investigation as to where he obtained the live grenade from, and will face a fine for unlawful possession of an explosive device.