Airport find was wartime chemical grenade

Fire crews were among the emergency services who attended the incident

Suspicious items found near Isle of Man Airport last week were part of a "phosphorus wartime relic most probably from World War Two", the fire service has said.

The buried items, estimated to go back to the 1940s, were found on Derbyhaven Road, on the perimeter of the airfield, by drainage work contractors on Friday.

The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the item was a "special incendiary grenade", which was safely disposed of in a controlled explosion by a bomb disposal team the next day.

Residents were evacuated and the road was closed as there were initial concerns the items posed a threat to the public but flights were not affected.

The contractors were working on behalf of the Department of Infrastructure.

Two of the contractors who had close exposure to the items attended Noble's Hospital for check-ups "as a precaution", and were subsequently discharged the same day.

The Fire and Rescue Service, Ambulance Service, the Isle of Man Constabulary, Emergency Planning, Health and Safety officers, airport executives and Civil Defence attended the incident.

"Further investigations" with the contractors, the Department of Infrastructure and Health and Safety officers would now take place, police said.