Isle of Wight holiday park evacuated after guest brings grenade back from the beach 'thinking it was a fossil'

An unwitting holidaymaker caused the evacuation of an entire seaside resort after bringing a hand grenade back from the beach thinking it was a fossil.

A Royal Navy bomb squad rushed to the Whitecliff Bay resort in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight after the guest turned up at the holiday park on Thursday night with an “old hand grenade”.

Local news website the Island Echo reported that the man carried the device back to the caravan he was sharing with his family.

He reportedly believed it was a fossil having picked it up from a nearby beach.

Away Resorts, which manages the holiday park, said the grenade was eventually removed by the bomb disposal squad.

Guests were moved into a safe area while a controlled explosion was carried out.

A spokesperson said: “Late last night, our team at Whitecliff Bay were made aware that a guest had brought, unknowingly, an old hand grenade onto the park, having found it on the beach.

“The team reacted quickly and efficiently taking advice from the experts which included the Royal Navy Bomb Disposal Unit.

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“A number of guests were vacated from their holiday homes, for their own safety and taken to the Nab Bar & Restaurant whilst the situation was resolved.

“The Bomb Disposal Team have successfully recovered the device and it has been detonated on the beach at first light.”

In a statement, Hampshire Police said: "The holiday park was evacuated after a member of the public found a grenade on a beach.

"Explosive Ordnance Disposal dealt with the grenade."