Explosive Garden Decor: The Bombastic Tale of a Naval Shell
In a bizarre turn of events, a Welsh couple’s garden ornament turned out to be more explosive than expected. Sian and Jeffrey Edwards of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, were shocked when a bomb disposal team detonated an old naval shell that had been sitting in their garden for an estimated 100 years.
The naval shell, weighing a hefty 64 pounds and dating back to the late 19th century, had been innocently used by the couple as a quirky garden decoration. Sian even admitted to playfully tapping her gardening trowel against it to clean off dirt after gardening sessions.
The drama unfolded when a vigilant police officer noticed the shell in the couple’s garden and promptly informed them that the Ministry of Defense would need to be notified. The news only escalated from there, with the bomb squad scheduled to arrive the next day for disposal, potentially requiring the evacuation of the entire street.
Jeffrey Edwards, 77, expressed his reluctance to leave the house, declaring, ‘If it goes up, we’re going to go up with it.’ The history of the shell dates back over a century when a local resident, known as ‘Pop Morris,’ discovered it during the late 1800s.
According to Jeffrey, the naval shell’s origins were tied to warships of the Royal Navy using the bay for target practice, with Pop Morris stumbling upon the shell during his daily lemonade delivery rounds. The bomb squad’s arrival on Nov. 30 confirmed the shell’s active state, prompting its careful extraction and subsequent detonation in a remote quarry.
Jeffrey lamented the loss of their ‘old friend,’ reflecting on the unexpected fate of their once-beloved garden ornament.
A Blast from the Past
The detonation of the naval shell serves as a cautionary tale of unsuspecting garden decor with explosive potential. The Edwards’ experience highlights the importance of vigilance and historical awareness when it comes to seemingly innocuous items with hidden dangers.
As the dust settles on this explosive saga, one can’t help but marvel at the extraordinary journey of a relic from the past that found its way into a modern-day garden.
The Aftermath
While the Edwards bid farewell to their explosive artifact, the memory of their unconventional garden ornament will undoubtedly linger as a tale to be retold for generations to come.
Stay tuned for more quirky stories and unexpected discoveries from around the world!
