Police are hunting a hand grenade prankster who threw a mini-bomb which blew up under a parked car.

Bomb squad officers, detectives and uniformed Police secured the device and searching the immediate area yesterday -- 13 hours after the grenade exploded on Upland Street, Devonshire, late on Monday night.

But Police were only able to find the grenade yesterday afternoon, despite a midnight fingertip search following the blast.

The grenade was only discovered when a man moved his Toyota Corolla and saw the grenade shell lying in his car parking space at 1.30 p.m.

Damage was caused to the inside of the car. But it is understood the Corolla was not ripped apart because the grenade is a training device, used on military exercises.

The grenade, which detonates after a 1.5-second fuse is burnt, explodes only black powder -- but causes a 175-decibel bang.

Bermuda Regiment chiefs last night carried out their own stock check but said every one of their grenades was accounted for.

Detective Inspector Steve Shaw, heading the Police investigation, said the device had been sent for forensic analysis.

He added: "There was an explosion some time before midnight on Monday night.

Police attended the scene but couldn't find anything.

"Then the car was moved the next day and the device was found lying on the asphalt.

"The car, a black Toyota Corolla, will now be examined but has suffered some internal damage. Exactly what happened is pretty vague right now.'' A Police spokeswoman appealed for witnesses and added: "The pin had been pulled and the resulting explosion had caused some minor damage to the interior of the car.

"Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal officers are involved in the investigation. It should be noted that such devices are dangerous and should not be handled at all.'' The owner of the car, on the scene helping Police, would only say: "I have no comment to make. I don't want any publicity.'' And neighbours were too frightened to give their names last night.

One, an elderly woman, said: "I heard a really hard bang but I just didn't have a clue what could have caused it.

"It did frighten me and I didn't really want to venture out because anything could have been going on out there.'' Grenade explodes under car Another neighbour, a man in his 30s, said: "The explosion woke me up and, to be honest, it sounded like it was a bomb.

"My house was shaking, literally. I stood outside to see what I could see, which wasn't much.

"But the Police came 15 minutes later and took control of everything.'' Bermuda Regiment use the devices, known as grenade simulators, during military exercises.

One was held at the US Naval Annex in Ferry Reach, St. George's, at the weekend and there was another at Warwick Camp on Monday night.

But Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Outerbridge, Commander of the Bermuda Regiment, did not believe the grenade was stolen from the army.

He said: "It's certainly a cause for worry. But has it been established that this was a Regiment grenade? "All our soldiers who were involved in the exercises, who used smoke canisters and grenades, have been spoken to and I have also gone through our armour stores.

"Everything's there that's supposed to be. Everything matches up and I have gone way back.

"We haven't been contacted by the Police and I would be interested to find out where exactly this has come from.'' Anyone with information is asked to contact Insp. Shaw on 295-0011 or call Crimestoppers on 1-800-623-8477.