Mass evacuation after unexploded munitions found in dead man’s house in South Yorkshire

Reisdents of a South Yorkshire market town have been evacuated from their homes after the discovery of a large quantity of unexploded Second World War munitions in the house of a dead man.
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Police were called a property in Sheffield Road, Penistone, following a report of a sudden death on Wednesday afternoon.

A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: “On arrival, officers discovered a large quantity of munitions and devices within the property and a man in his 50s who was deceased. There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death at this time.”

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At about 2pm a 100m cordon was put in place as a precautionary measure with around 100 properties, including homes and businesses, being evacuated.

Sheffield Road was closed from its junction with Queen Street, to its junction with Green Road, so that emergency services could examine the devices.

The cordon and road closures are expected to remain in place throughout the evening.

Chief Inspector Andy Hodgkinson said: “My thoughts go out to the family and friends of the resident who has passed away at the property.

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“Emergency services are still working at the scene testing the devices to ensure they are safe and secure.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused to the residents who have been evacuated from their homes. We will ensure that they are kept fully up to speed with our progress and we appreciate their patience and cooperation on this matter.”