A GROUP of magnet fishermen 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, believes the muddied handgun to be a Webley and Scott semi-automatic pocket pistol, which was made between 1907 and 1940.

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

READ MORE: Musselburgh magnet fisherman finds Second World War rifle

The trio of keen magnet fishermen were also delighted to catch hold of 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 would attend at his local police station on Monday to 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 believed helped him find the weapons hidden deep in the bottom of 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.”