Employees at a second-hand store in New York state found a live Second World War hand grenade as they unpacked a box of items from a building contents sale.

Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol said officers were called to the shop in the town of Westmoreland to check out the grenade, which employees had taken to a safe location outside.

The sheriff said the safety pin, spoon and original fuse appeared to be intact. The State Police Bomb Disposal Unit deemed the grenade to be live and removed it for detonation.

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