It’s blast off after ‘dangerous’ shell is found in brook
A‘DANGEROUS’ artillery shell was detonated in a Rochdale field by an Army bomb team after it was discovered in a nearby brook.
The artefact, believed to be from WW1 or WW2, which officers said was ‘highly explosive,’ was found in a stream where local children regularly play.
John Flint, 58, who lives next to the brook on Exmouth Street, was clearing away rubbish that collects in the water when he came across the shell.
At first he thought it was a shock absorber from a car – but quickly realised its importance. He said: “I was basically clearing out all the rubbish that has collected in the brook.
“I was moving bricks and pieces of metal and found an auxiliary shell. I thought it was a shock absorber like another one down there.
“Myself and my friend, Kevin, started cleaning it with a brick and saw the numbers on there.
“I then knew what it was but still wanted to have a look.”
He called the police who sent the fire service and then the bomb disposal unit. John added: “We were told it’s one of the dangerous ones because it had high explosives in it.”
The shell – which officers at the scene said was an explosive – was securely placed in a metal box and taken across the road into a field, which was formerly home to Balderstone Community School.
Two officers dug a hole in the middle of the field and buried the device and covered it with sandbags. A countdown took place and it was securely blown up.
John, a company director, added: “I wasn’t scared really, I didn’t really give it a thought. It’s lucky I found it and not the kids who normally come down here.
“They could have picked it up, let it dry out and thrown it somewhere.”
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “Shortly before 12.20pm police were called to Exmouth Street in Rochdale to reports that a suspicious item had been discovered in a river. Bomb disposal attended, they removed the item and have safely conducted a controlled explosion in Balderstone Park near to where the device was found.
!A 100m cordon was put in place, but there has been no requirement to evacuate any local properties.”