'It's made his day': Bomb squad scrambled after boy, 5, finds 'artillery shell' whilst magnet fishing

Emergency services descended on a quiet canal-side path this afternoon after a five-year-old boy pulled an artillery shell out from the canal in Ashton under Lyne.

William Nixon, 51, was out with two of his sons, five-year-old Leo and seven-year-old Riley, and friend Andrew, 49, magnet fishing in the canal this morning, June 19. The group, who are known online as the Leeds Magneters, were just about to finish at their spot at the bottom of Margaret Street and head to another bridge when little Leo unearthed an artillery shell, which is believed to date back to WWII.

The shell was discovered at around 11.50am, according to Mr Nixon, with police being called to the scene and putting a cordon in place for the bomb disposal experts to be called in. Greater Manchester Police had set up a cordon around the canal, which branches off from Cavendish Street and down several side streets, with the main scene focused around the bridge on Margaret Street where the shell was discovered.

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At around 3.10pm, bomb disposal experts removed the device from the area, speeding away from the scene with a full police convoy. The Manchester Evening News understands the artillery shell was being removed from the site to then be destroyed in a controlled explosion away from the scene, but no police confirmation had been received at the time of publication.

Mr Nixon said: "It was me, my two sons, and a friend of ours that came along and it was a bit of a rubbish bridge to be doing so we were just about to call it and head to another when low and behold little Leo pulls this shell out. To be honest, we don't like to find them because it causes too much mayhem for