32 WW2 bombs found on Essex beach detonated by bomb disposal experts

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32 WW2 bombs found on Essex beach detonated by bomb disposal experts
32 WW2 bombs found on Essex beach detonated by bomb disposal experts

Stock photo, Southend: Getty


A huge haul of 32 World War II bombs found off the coast at Southend, Essex, have been detonated by bomb disposal experts.

Fisherman Pete Tutt, 30, came across the bombs while digging for bait on New Year's Eve.

The haul, the biggest found in recent years, were among hundreds dropped by the Germans into the Thames and carried by tides to beaches in Essex.

Pete told the Daily Telegraph: "The high tides and strong winds had uncovered them all so I called the coastguard but by the time they arrived the tide was in so they came back and detonated the lot on New Year's Day."

But, it seems, discovering bombs is something of an occupational hazard for Pete; he found a haul of 38 wartime bombs back in 2008.

A spokeswoman for the coastguard said: "Thirty-two Second World War shells were found by a bait digger in the Ray Gut off Southend.

"The bait diggers go out and they come across these shells because there were hundreds of them dropped in the Thames."

Meanwhile, a seven-year-old boy sparked a security scare in Norfolk after finding a WWII bomb with his brand new metal detector Christmas present.

Sonny Cater was exploring fields near his home in King's Lynn with his brother, Marley, and his parents on Boxing Day, when he came across the buried object.

He took it home and his father Jem washed it under a tap, before becoming suspicious and calling his father-in-law, Steve Wood, who had worked for 20 years as an RAF armourer.

Bomb disposal experts from RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire identified the device as a 10lb British practice bomb from WWII and it was removed for safe disposal, although it did not contain explosives.

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