Berlin airport cordoned off after police mistake 'pleasure device' for grenade

Parts of Berlin's Schoenefeld Airport have been evacuated after an item found in a passenger's luggage caught the attention of security officials.

German police took a woman aside for questioning after finding what they thought to be a hand grenade. The item turned out to be a personal vibrator sex toy.

The passenger who spoke to local media under the condition of anonymity said she was taken to a room where a team of fully kitted up bomb squad members surrounded her bag.

"I approached a police officer and told him that I needed to check my bag with the baggage handlers. He asked my name and for my passport. He then spoke into his radio and several armed police swarmed me with automatic weapons."

After 60 minutes the bomb squad returned to where the woman was being detained. The serious looks on their faces from an hour before, replaced by faces in tears with laughter.

The passenger was caught more red-faced than red-handed and was released to catch the next flight to her destination.