The Army Bomb Disposal Team was called to Ballsbridge in Dublin this morning to make safe an historic hand grenade.

The Mills 36 hand grenade was discovered by staff carrying out maintenance work on a bridge in the area.

The army team arrived at the scene just after 11am this morning and set up a cordon around the area to ensure public safety.

A controlled explosion was carried out and the grenade was disposed of – with the area declared safe by 12:45pm.

A military spokesperson said the Mills 36 hand grenade was regularly used throughout the War of Independence and World War Two.

They were patented and developed by the British Army in 1915 and remained in production up until the 1980s.

Members of the public who come across historic weapons and ammunition are advised to maintain a safe distance and inform the gardaí.