Navy called in after unexploded bomb caught by Cornish fishing boat

The Navy was called to a small coastal town after an unexploded bomb was accidentally caught by a fishing boat.

Emergency services were sent to Looe Harbour, Cornwall, at 12.45pm after the incendiary was “brought up on a fishing boat” by trawlers.

The device was transported from the sea to a safe location, according to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Royal Navy explosives experts were working to neutralise the device on Friday, with a team from HMNB Devonport set to carry out a controlled detonation of the device which has been placed on the seabed south of the breakwater in Plymouth Sound.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “We can confirm Devon and Cornwall Police requested Explosive Ordnance Disposal assistance after the discovery of a possible unexploded ordnance in Plymouth Sound.

“Bravo Sqn of the Diving Threat and Exploitation Group has identified the item as a possible sea mine and will make it safe by detonation at a designated sea area.”

Fred Alsop, from the Fish Market Restaurant in Looe, said he couldn’t open his establishment on the quay on Thursday night because police had set up a cordon.

‘Scuppered by vessel we rely on’

He told BBC Radio Cornwall: “All of a sudden, just as we were about to open the restaurant last night, we were informed by police that we couldn’t do so as a quarantined area of the quay was to be cordoned off and bomb disposal from the Royal Navy were on their way.

“We’re a fresh fish restaurant which specialises in local day boat fish from Looe and then to be scuppered by the very vessel that we rely on... it’s quite a surreal selection of events.”

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said: “A suspected ordnance device was reported on a fishing vessel in Looe harbour on 11 January.

“The device was taken out to sea to a safe location where it is planned to be made safe today (12 January).”