Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in August 2015.
In a startling turn of events, a family narrowly averted disaster after unknowingly posing for photographs next to an unexploded World War II mine, initially mistaken for a harmless buoy. Kelly Gravell, accompanied by her two children, stumbled upon the seaweed-covered object on a beach near Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, last Wednesday.Gareth Gravell with his children on the beach, Photo Credit: Gareth Gravell/Facebook
What started as a joyful weekend at the beach for Gareth Gravell and his young children turned into an unforgettable—and alarming—memory just days later.
Gareth, a father from the UK, had taken his kids, six-year-old Erin and four-year-old Ellis, to a local beach in Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, for some sun, sand, and family fun. Among the many objects dotting the coastline, one in particular had caught their attention: a large, round item that resembled an old buoy. The children clambered onto it repeatedly, laughing and playing as if it were just another piece of seaside scenery.
But the harmless-looking “buoy” was hiding a dangerous secret.
Just five days later, beachgoers were stunned when local Carmarthenshire Council rangers abruptly closed the beach and cordoned off the area. Upon closer investigation, it was discovered that the object wasn’t a buoy at all—it was a World War II-era bomb, lying dormant but still potentially lethal.
Bomb disposal experts were immediately called to the scene. After assessing the threat, they made the decision to conduct a controlled detonation. Dramatic video footage captured the moment a powerful explosion rocked the area, sending water and sand high into the air as the bomb was safely neutralized on the far side of the harbor.
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