FREMANTLE resident Gaela Lee got a little more than she bargained for after nicking out the back for a bit of gardening recently.

The Attfield Street resident was digging about when her shovel unearthed what she initially thought was a pen.

She started scraping and banging the dirt of the object before a savvy painter working at her house realised it was an old bullet.

“He started yelling ‘my God, we’ve got to call the army. Don’t touch it, don’t touch it—it’s live,” Ms Lee told the Herald.

• A WA Police officer collects the bullets from Gaela Lee.

She called the police who wanted her to bring them to the station, but she point-blank refused: “I am not taking them in the car, otherwise there will be a news item of a little old lady spread-eagled over High St, blown up by 23 bullets,” she said.

An officer was sent over to check them out and all up 23 .303 bullets were pulled out of the ground, likely left-overs from one of the World Wars.

Cockburn Guns and Ammo manager Paul says the .303 was the most popular firearm in both wars.

“Thousands were brought back after the wars and used for hunting. They’re still popular to this day.”

by ALICE ANGELONI