Samurai sword found in Sidmouth: girl praised

A SIDMOUTH woman has praised her "sensible" young granddaughter for removing a dangerous weapon from a children's play area.

The Herald last week reported that a samurai sword had been found by a 13-year-old girl and her friend in a park next to Stowford Rise.

Police collected the three-foot long weapon for disposal after the girl took it to her nearby grandmother's house.

Both Sergeant Andy Turner and councillor Stuart Hughes publicly commended the girl's actions.

And now her 69-year-old grandmother, Jan Jones, of Baker Close, has spoken of her pride.

Her granddaughter, Amelia Saunders, from Bournemouth was visiting with her friend when they found the samurai sword, described as having a two-foot blade and a broken cream handle.

Jan said: "When she found the sword she thought it was a toy at first but then realised it wasn't and she brought it to me. I thought 'oh my goodness' when I saw it and rang the police straight away.

"Amelia is very responsible and a grown up 13-year-old so I'm not surprised she took it out of harms way.

"The sword should never have been in a children's play park-if children played around with it they wouldn't realise what harm it could do. It could be lethal."

Jan says the play park is not an area she likes her grandchildren playing in because it is "out of the way" and this summer, youths have been congregating there late at night.

Although Jan believes they were not causing too much trouble, they were "boisterous" and were drinking booze.

She says the problem now seems to have disappeared following complaints to the police, who started regular patrols there, and since the school term began.

Jan added: "I think another reason they stopped was because one of the lads had to be rushed to hospital for drinking too much. It made them realise drinking is not such a great thing.

"Kids will be kids but somebody older was obviously supplying alcohol to them and they should feel responsible.