LIVE BOMB IS FISHED FROM CANAL
THEY WERE USING A MAGNET TO FIND METAL OBJECTS
A COUPLE who were using a magnet to fish metal out of a canal were shocked when they pulled up a live bomb.
The couple, from Derby, were walking along the Trent and Mersey Canal in Swarkestone when they dipped the magnet into the water.
They had pulled up bottle caps on their first dip but on their second pull retrieved the bomb from the water.
Having originally thought it was a piece of machinery, the pair called a relative who told them they were holding a bomb.
One of them said: “We had heard about this new thing that people were doing named ‘magnet fishing.’ It involves tying a magnet to a piece of rope and dipping it into bodies of water.
“We thought we would give it a go and went out to Swarkestone canal yesterday afternoon. We put the magnet in and it pulled out this object. It was round and quite heavy and was covered in gunk and rust. I originally thought it was an old bit of canal machinery or something.
“One of our relatives is all into his machinery so we took a photo of it and sent it to him. A few minutes later he came back and said ‘mate, that’s a mortar bomb.’
“We googled it and called the police. The bomb squad turned up and ran some tests on it whilst police closed the road. After this someone from the bomb squad came over and said that it is live and they had to perform a detonation.
I was in shock. It didn’t feel quite real. It still doesn’t”
The couple went to nearby Swarkestone Nursery where they spoke with the director of the nursery, Laura Jackson.
Laura said: “This young couple had gone magnet fishing and had come into the shop and told us what had happened. We were shocked as it is not every day you see a bomb disposal quad in a quiet village like ours. “I was honestly concerned we would have to find somewhere to duck and hide. They were still there until about 6.30pm last night (Saturday).
“Being a glass building, we were nervous that the bomb would go off. But it puts you at ease once the bomb disposal guys turned up.
“The whole thing was a bit of a shock for the sleepy village.”
The couple added: “Honestly the main feeling was shock. We both felt quite sick as we had been holding it in our hands.
“When we were speaking to the people at the nursery we were giggling but reality really kicked in when they told us it was live.
“The road and canal had to be closed but there was more relief for everyone once the bomb squad turned up. Even then it was an oh my God moment for everyone involved.
“Today the whole thing still feels a bit surreal. There is a bit of history there but it really doesn’t feel real. It was an amazing and dangerous find and things could have ended a lot worse.
“It is definitely a tale to tell the future grandchildren but it really could have ended a different way. It is really unexpected and you just don’t know what is going to happen.”
A spokesman from Derbyshire Police said: “Derbyshire police were called to Swarkstone to find a sixinch mortar bomb. Upon arrival, the bomb disposal team examined and safely detonated the device.”
The Canal and River Trust, which looks after the Trent and Mersey Canal, says magnet fishing is not allowed on its waterways.
Its website says: “It’s great that people are interested in getting rubbish out of the canal, however we don’t allow magnet fishing as it can be extremely dangerous. Items dragged out by magnets could be sharp or heavy and cause you to be dragged into the water. We’ve even had reports of people fishing out old war bombs and dumped weapons.
“When people leave piles of metal on the towpath, it can cause problems for other visitors, for example families with young children.”
Someone from the bomb squad came over and said they had to perform a detonation. I was in shock. It didn’t feel quite real.