AN unusual egg is on display in a military museum - but not the kind chocolate lovers would want to share around at Easter.

The metal egg - a deactivated hand grenade from the First World War - is on display at the Green Howards Regimental Museum, in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

It was brought to the UK by a soldier from the regiment, who served in the Flanders battlefields, as a memento of conflict.

He later presented to the museum.

The medal is on display in the First World War gallery, on the upper floor of the museum, which is in the former Holy Trinity Church, in Richmond’s Market Place.

Lynda Powell, the museum’s curator, said: "The grenade is just the size of an egg, and was made in the same shape for easy throwing – small ones like this could easily be thrown 50 yards.

"Later grenades had grooves cut into them to make them easier to grasp in the muddy conditions, so we know this a quite an early specimen.

"It makes a good Easter talking-point for our visitors, who can find out about the role of the regiment in the First World War and the rest of its history from 1688 up to the present."

· The museum is open from 10am to 4.30 m between Monday and Saturday. It is closed on Sundays. Admission costs £3.50 (£3.00 for concessions and Richmond residents). Children accompanied by an adult free.