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A couple who had lived with a garden ornament in their yard for years were shocked when police showed up, investigated, and informed them it was a live bomb.
Sian and Jeffrey Edwards from Milford Haven in Wales were under the assumption that the bomb was a dummy since they had been told it had been owned by their family for more than 100 years.
However, when a police officer showed up on their doorstep having spotted the ordinance, they were shocked to learn that the bomb squad had been alerted and would be arriving the next day.
According to the BBC, Mrs. Edwards said she used to bang her trowel against it after gardening to knock the dirt off of it.
“We didn’t sleep a wink all night,” Mr. Edwards said.
Tests would later prove that, yes, it was a live bomb with markings on it that revealed that it dated back to 1880 or 1890. Thankfully, it had only a small amount of charge left in it.
It was removed from the couple’s garden, taken to an unused quarry in Walwyn’s Castle, covered with five tons of sand and blown up.
“The EOD team assessed the item and determined it to be a 64lb naval projectile which was removed from the scene for subsequent explosive demolition,” the Ministry of Defense wrote.
“It was an old friend, said 77-year-old Mr. Edwards. “I’m so sorry that the poor old thing was blown to pieces.”
So how did a live bomb end up in the family’s garden for years?
“Warships for the Royal Navy used to drop anchor in St Brides Bay and point their guns towards Broad Haven and open fire,” Mr. Edwards explained.
“They used to use the sands for target practice. They’d make sure there was no one on the sands, mind!
“Well Pop Morris, who went around delivering lemonade, was going down to Broad Haven with his horse and cart and found the shell.
“He struggled back up the beach with it, put it on the back of his cart and had a very bouncy seven-mile ride back home.
“He plonked it upright in the front courtyard and that’s where it remained.”
At one point during its long lifespan, the bomb was even sunk into concrete and painted red to match the window ledges of the house.
“It stood there during two world wars,” said Mr. Edwards.