A UK city centre was positioned in an emergency lockdown after a stay Second World War grenade was handed to volunteers at a heritage centre.

Darwen, Lancashire, was thrown into chaos following the alarming discovery which prompted a direct lockdown, with police establishing cordons and bomb disposal models speeding to the scene at 2pm this afternoon.

A British Army spokesperson confirmed that the merchandise in query was certainly a grenade, which was subsequently safely eliminated and destroyed.

Police issued a press release urging the general public to avoid the realm earlier this afternoon: "We are currently at the scene of an ongoing incident at Market Hall, Darwen. Officers are currently at the scene and a cordon is in place. We are asking people to avoid the area for now and we will update you in due course."

The power introduced that the lockdown had ended and the cordon was lifted after 5pm.

Social media customers took to X, previously generally known as Twitter, to specific their disbelief on the surreal scenario.

One person posted: "Apparently Darwen town centre is in lockdown an unexploded grenade has innocently been handed into the Heritage Centre.

"The pin was nonetheless in needed to get Police and bomb disposal to take away it. Police and bomb disposal autos all around the city centre.", reviews the Mirror.