Wolfson ‘unexploded grenade’ scare called off

The ‘unexploded WWII grenade’ turned out to have been only a practice device

A cordon has been established around the college by police

by Devarshi Lodhia

This article is 8 years old

Tuesday February 13 2018, 12:51pm

Updated: 2:24pm

A suspected unexploded grenade found at Wolfson college today has been found to be a false alarm, involving a harmless practice device.

Students at Wolfson College were evacuated from the college library and a number of accommodation blocks at 11:30am this morning, after the suspected unexploded WWII grenade was found in the president’s garden. The device was soon revealed, however, to be a practice grenade with no live ammunition.

The college posted updates on a members' Facebook page

Police have now left the scene, and students have been permitted to re-enter college buildings.

At the time of the incident, Cambridgeshire police told Varsity: “We were called at 11:20am today to Wolfson College in Barton Road, Cambridge. A suspicious device has been found by a gardener working at the college. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) have been called to view the device. A 100m cordon has been put in place as a precaution.”

A subsequent statement announced that “the EOD have attended and taken the item away. It’s believed to be a training grenade.”

Wolfson student, Sian Bradshaw, told Varsity: “I was just in my room writing an essay, and the head porter knocked on the door and told my house that we needed to evacuate immediately.”

In an official statement on the Wolfson College Students Association Facebook page posted this afternoon, the college said: “The library is now open again. The item turned out to be a practice grenade with no live ammunition. Thanks to the gardening staff and porters for dealing with the situation so quickly and professionally.”

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