A MAGNET fisher from Blandford Forum has shared what he has found in Dorset rivers which has included active grenades. 

Grant Osborne began the unusual hobby of magnet fishing in 2020 during the midst of lockdown.

Driven by a want to help clean the rivers and waters in and around Dorset, Grant shared he has found everything from medieval horseshoes, a 17th-century dagger and anti-aircraft shells. 

He said: "99 per cent of the stuff you pull out is rubbish and you have to go out with the intent of only finding rubbish and clearing it because otherwise your hopes get crushed. 

"My favourite one was last November last year. I pulled out a 17th-century dagger that was gorgeous. I've had horseshoes which sounds mundane but I've had a couple of medieval ones. 

"When you're pulling out something 700 to 800 years old that's been corroding all that time, that's a bit of a rush."

Living in an area known for its military background, Grant said how every couple of months he will find a gun, a grenade or bullets. 

It is also not uncommon for such objects to still be active and therefore a real threat to him and others. 

He said: "When the police come by and deactivate it, you become very aware of what you're doing. One of the grenades was a German egg grenade. 

"To me, it looked like a door handle or a bedpost. It wasn't until I sent a friend a picture he told me that's a grenade in your hand. the second you find it, you just go numb."

Since he started, Grant said he has pulled out 25 to 30 tonnes of scrap from rivers. 

While important to help stop pollution in our waters, Grant believes more needs to be done to help newcomers avoid fly tipping on river banks. 

He said: "It tends to be the younger kids and the newer people that do it. I personally wrap caution tape around the whole thing so people know it will be collected."

Previously magnet fishing with groups in the past, Grant has planned a group event in Poole in September.