A MAN terrifyingly found a loaded GUN while fishing in a river next to a primary school.
Professional magnet angler Houdini Richards was scouring the waters in Grimsby for hidden treasures when he hauled out the deadly weapon.
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He had been fishing in a section of the River Freshney, behind the back of a nearby Primark store, when he horrifyingly hauled out the gun.
Houdini described how he realised his gruesome discovery when he “felt the weight” of the firearm as soon as he pulled it onto dry land.
He told Grimsby Live: “When it fell off the magnet, I felt that it was a live weapon.
“We chucked it into a bucket to wash it off and obviously we checked the safety and tried to get the magazine out.
“It had been encrusted but by that time you could feel it was a really heavy-loaded weapon.”
The quick-thinking metal hunter and his two pals recorded the moment they hauled the gun out of the river and carefully handled it with their gloves.
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Houdini continued: “We put the video on so we could notify the police about how we found it and where we found it.”
The flummoxed fisherman recorded the clip of the grimy gun, which he believes could be a Colt 1911, before handing it over to cops.
Houdini continued: “Shortly after that, me and the two other guys who were with me packed up and as we were going back into town, we came across a police car driving past.
“So straight away as soon as they pulled out into a lay-by, I went and knocked on the window and said, ‘Excuse me, guys, I’ve got something in my box you might need’.
“So they got out, opened the box, took an evidence bag out and got my details, and they confirmed it was a live weapon.
“We also found a knife that day so they seized both the weapons.
“They took a statement from us and they’ve now been taken to the police station.”
Humberside Police since revealed the gun has been sent off for forensic examination.
Houdini added: “They did ask us if we’d handled the weapon but, being a professional magnet fisher, we always have rubber gloves on and we never touch any of the items we pull out.
It had been encrusted but by that time you could feel it was a really heavy-loaded weapon.
Houdini Richards
“So we can preserve any fingerprints if there is anything on the weapon, and so we can hand it in in the condition we found it in.”
But the local was left terrified that people were carelessly roaming the town with guns and discarding deadly firearms – in close proximity to a primary school.
The magnet fisherman said: “I’ve noticed recently that there’s been an increase in knife crime in the area, not just in this area but sweeping across England recently.
“But guns are not something you hear of.
“I’ve heard of the odd gun in big cities like London, but in a small town like Grimsby it is quite scary knowing that people are walking around with 9mm guns.
“Where we found it, there’s a primary school just around the corner.”
A spokesman for the force said: “The weapon was handed into the local police who made enquiries with our specialist firearms officers.
“Due to the level of corrosion it was hard to establish if the weapon was an imitation or a live weapon so it has now been transported to a specialist unit in Leeds be made safe and for forensic examination.”
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