Dumped war relics discovered under mudbanks on beach
RELICS from World War Two have been discovered under a mudbank on a Merseyside beach.
Shocking photos reveal that antitank blocks and rubble thought to be from the Blitz were lying under swathes of mud on Oglet Shore, between Speke and Hale Village.
Lifelong residents say bricks and concrete pyramids, used as bollards to obstruct tanks during the war, were dumped there in the 1950s, but have been covered by sand and then mud for more than 50 years.
But after decades of dredging and cleaning, the mudbank has gradually washed out, revealing a wasteland of bricks and concrete that was disposed of on the banks of the Mersey after WW2.
Area resident Lynne Moneypenny, who photographed the dramatic transformation for her local history website Speke Liverpool, said: “Whilst we’re glad the mud is washing away, it’s such a shame that all the bricks are exposed as now the stretch from Oglet in Hale to Dungeon in Speke is impossible to walk over.
“It would be nice if they could be cleared but the cliffs near Dungeon Point are full of them. The only alternative we could think of would be to cover the lot in concrete but I don’t know how that could be done. Money is an option either way and it’s scarce at the moment.”
Ms Moneypenny added that members of community conservation groups were brainstorming ways they could clean up the area, but funding was the biggest barrier.
Christine Roche, a member of Save Oglet Shore campaign group said it would be ‘really sad’ to see the land blocked off from the public, and added: “With a little investment and perhaps a community interest company or social enterprise scheme, this could be an amazing nature and educational resource and facility.”
Oglet Shore is famous for being one of Paul McCartney’s favourite childhood jaunts, and local residents describe it as the ‘last truly rural area in Liverpool’.
It is reached via Dungeon Lane and is next to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, providing a pathway to Hale Village, where it is accessed via Hale Shore.
In 2015, Halton Council secured a £50,000 investment from WREN to regenerate the former beauty spot, which has been badly damaged by waste, vehicles and drainage issues over the years.
Halton Council was contacted for comment about the rubble discovery ● but said there was nothing it could do about the waste because the land is actually owned by the Duchy Of Lan- caster.
The Duchy of Lancaster was also contacted for comment.