Handgun, knuckleduster, knife and shotgun cartridge found In Edinburgh canal

A troup of magnet fishing enthusiasts had a busy afternoon on Sunday - when they pulled out an array of weapons from an Edinburgh canal.

James Pearson was out with friends John Robertson and Graeme McShane when they dragged up a vintage handgun from the bottom of the capital’s Union Canal.

The trio of magnet fishermen also managed to catch hold of a knuckleduster, a knife and a shotgun cartridge over a two hour period.

James, from Musselburgh, East Lothian, believes the muddied handgun to be a Webley and Scott semi-automatic pocket pistol which was made between 1907 and 1940.

The ancient semi-automatic Webley & Scott 'pocket pistol'

The 1907 model was one of Webley’s most popular pistols with over 50,000 produced by the company.

The trio of keen magnet fishermen were also delighted to catch hold the metal knuckleduster, a small knife and the shotgun shell as they dredged the canal near to the city’s Fountain Park.

James said he will attend at his local police station today where he will hand over all the weapons the group managed to pull from the waterway.

James, who runs the Musselburgh Magnet Fishing group, was using a new heavy duty magnet that he believes helped him find the weapons hidden deep in the bottom of the canal.

Packs a punch: Knuckleduster hauled from the canal

He said: “The knife I can probably keep but the rest I will hand in as I don’t want live ammo anywhere near my house.

“I’ve had the Evolution Xtreme for over a year but it is just the second time I’ve used it. It does make a difference as it’s so heavy and it sinks into the silt and grabs hidden goodies.”