New Zealand Hot Chips Factory Calls Bomb Squad After "Muddy Potato" turns out to be World War II-Era Grenade

Amongst hundreds of muddy potatoes, a World War II-era grenade was picked up on a conveyor belt at a hot chips factory in New Zealand. According to the Independent, a bomb squad had to be called into Mr Chips factory in Auckland after the explosive device was found among 28 tonnes of potatoes that were destined to become french fries. 

The old grenade, which has since been confirmed as being a training grenade that didn't contain explosives, is believed to be dug up during harvesting on a farm in Matamata town in New Zealand. Earlier this month, an alert night shift worker had spotted the grenade trundling down a conveyor belt. Notably, this is the first sighting of a weapon in the 30-year history of the factory.

Citing news site Stuff, the Independent reported that Richard Teurukura, the worker, was carrying out routine work of finding stones in the delivery of 100,000 potatoes when he spotted the conveyor belt to look at the suspicious-looking object. Mr Teurukura first confused the explosive device with a large stone, however, after dusting excess mud off the object, he suspected it to be something else. The worker then asked his colleague, who is an engineer, to confirm his suspicions after which the area was cordoned off. 

The grenade was reportedly isolated and placed on a concrete car parking sleeper with the area around it restricted with tapes. The police were then called in, who later alerted the New Zealand defence force's explosive ordinance disposal team. After examining the device under an X-ray machine, the grenade was found to be a dud, probably used for training purposes. 

The explosive device was around 80-year-old British manufactured “Mills bomb” hand grenade. It was widely used in the second world war. According to the Independent, Roland Spitaels, the Mr Chips factory's operations manager, informed that this was the first weapon to be discovered in the factory in its 30-year history. He said that the grenade initially looked very much like a “muddy potato”. 

The grenade is now with the police and is being inspected. However, Mr Spitaels said that he would eventually like to have the device back for the factory's trophy room. It is to mention that previously as well, there have been sightings of such grenades in potato fields in Europe in the past.