Workmen digging up a car park unearthed four WWII hand grenades and hundreds of used bullets yesterday afternoon.

The area around Melville Street, Edinburgh, was evacuated following the unexpected find, and bomb disposal experts took over at the site.

Amazingly, it was the second find for Sundial Properties, who were carrying out refurbishment - just a few days ago, 100 live bullets were found during excavation of the same car park.

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Site agent John Carlin of Sundial told the Scotsman newspaper: "We thought that was it after Monday's find, but as soon as one of the guys dug down again he unearthed a load of fired shells and a piece of hessian sack. When he tugged on the hessian, a grenade popped out and we all stepped away pretty quick."

The ammunition was lying just three or four feet below the surface in the car park.

More than 300 sandbags were drafted into the property last night ahead of a planned controlled explosion this morning.

The bomb disposal crew told Mr Carlin that the Second World War gear might have been buried by a former Home Guard troop.

(NE)