SOUTH SHIELDS, UK (10 Apr 2007) -- Bomb disposal experts were called in to detonate a Second World War device washed up on South Shields beach. Hordes of families were enjoying the bank holiday by the sea yesterday when a youngster from Consett discovered the device at 3.20pm. Littlehaven Beach and the surrounding area was evacuated and cordoned off by the police and coastguard. A Royal Navy bomb disposal unit was called to blow up the bomb – believed to be a spigot mortar – in a controlled explosion at about 1am today. The officer in charge said he had not seen this type of bomb for about 15 years. A team of divers arrived at about 8.30pm, but had to wait for the tide to go back out before relocating the bomb. Neil Mearns, from Sunderland Coastguard, said: "We were patrolling South Shields pier when we were stopped by a man, whose grandson had spotted an object on the beach. "At first it appeared to be the nose cone of an explosive shell, about 8in wide and 18in long, which was partly buried in sand. We later found it was more than 3ft long. "The object was marked with a floating buoy, as the tide covered it a short time later. "We had to wait until the tide had ebbed before we could relocate it. "Divers eventually dug out the device and placed it in a trench on the beach, where it was detonated in a controlled explosion around 1am. | | A WW2 spigot mortar "It made a huge bang and left a large crater in the sand. "One of our team members, Gerry Thompson, had turned 40 at midnight, and he was given the honour of pressing the switch to blow it up!" The incident was one of the longest and most unusual crews had been involved in, he added. "Everyone was surprised to find it was a spigot mortar – a Second World War depth charge which was used by the Navy to attack German U-boats. "The officer in charge of the diving unit said he had not seen one for around 15 years." SOURCE - Shields GazetteSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
