Bomb disposal experts were scrambled to a Fife school when a child brought in a hand grenade as part of a history project.
The pupil took the device into Mountfleurie Primary School in Leven as part of a class study on the Second World War. However, it sparked panic and was swiftly taken to a nearby fire station for analysis.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) crews were despatched to deal with the antique and it was destroyed in a controlled blast, although initial studies had suggested the device had already been deactivated.
Details of the incident, which occurred in November, only emerged last week following a police briefing for local councillors.
Gill Merrett, headteacher, said: “A pupil brought an old grenade to school as part of a world war project. The grenade was taken to the fire station and they got in touch with the police.
“The police arranged for the grenade to be examined by specialists, who believed it had been deactivated. It was then destroyed in a controlled explosion just to be sure.”
Inspector Donald Jenks said the incident had been unusual, saying: “Often these devices are found through building work and have been buried for 60 or 70 years.”
Councillor Charles Haffey expressed concern at troops returning with so-called “trophies” from the front, particularly from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Inspector Jenks said: “I’m not aware of any incident in Levenmouth or Fife of trophies coming to our attention but it would be naive to think it doesn’t happen.
“We rely on our colleagues in the military police to deal with that.”