In a shocking twist, a family narrowly escaped potential tragedy after unknowingly playing beside an unexploded World War II mine, which they mistook for a harmless buoy. Kelly Gravell, 32, and her two young children stumbled upon the object, covered in seaweed, while visiting a beach near Burry Port in Carmarthenshire last Wednesday.
It wasn’t until five days later that the true nature of the object was discovered, prompting an immediate beach closure. Rangers from Carmarthenshire Council identified the item as a 70-year-old bomb and alerted bomb disposal experts, who later carried out a controlled detonation. Dramatic footage captured the powerful explosion on the far side of the harbor, safely disposing of the long-buried threat.
Gareth, the children's father, shared his astonishment on Twitter, posting photos of six-year-old Erin and four-year-old Ellis innocently climbing on what they believed to be a buoy. “So the buoy my kids were jumping on all weekend turns out to be a WWII bomb. Oops,” he wrote, mixing humor with disbelief.
Kelly Gravell explained that at the time, the family had paid more attention to the barnacles on the object than its unusual shape. With the tide in, they didn’t question its presence and even joked that it looked like “a big bomb” — a comment made in passing with no sense of the actual danger.
“We were so close to disaster — it’s honestly shocking,” she later reflected. The couple, who operate a waste management business, said they plan to return to the beach, but with a new sense of caution. “I’m not put off from going back,” said Ms. Gravell, “but we’ll definitely be more careful. We’ve learned to think twice before approaching unfamiliar objects. We even went back to watch the bomb get blown up.”
Councillor Meryl Gravell, executive board member for leisure at Carmarthenshire Council, confirmed that all necessary safety measures had been taken. She apologized for any inconvenience caused by the beach closure but emphasized that public safety was the top priority.
The family's unexpected brush with history serves as a sobering reminder of the hidden remnants of war that may still linger in everyday places. Their experience highlights the importance of staying alert and avoiding contact with unknown items — even in peaceful coastal settings.
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