Unexploded Bomb in Pembrokeshire Garden Detonated After Decades as Ornament

A couple in Pembrokeshire, Wales, had a shocking surprise when they discovered that an unexploded bomb they had been using as a garden ornament for decades needed to be detonated. Jeffrey and Sian Edwards had kept the 19th-century relic outside their home since moving in in 1982. The bomb, which was originally from a British warship, had been in the garden for over a century, and the couple had grown quite fond of it.

The unexploded bomb that had been a garden ornament for decades

The bomb’s history was rich, with stories of being transported by horse and cart to the house, where it was played with by children and even tapped with a garden trowel by Mrs. Edwards. The couple had long assumed the bomb was a dummy missile used during navy training exercises before the First World War. However, when the bomb disposal unit arrived, they discovered that it had a light charge and needed to be detonated.

Jeffrey Edwards, the 77-year-old homeowner

“We didn’t sleep a wink that night,” Mr. Edwards said, recalling the night the bomb disposal unit arrived. “We’ve lived in this house for 41 years, have known it all these years, and I told the bomb squad ‘if you evacuate the street the wife and I are not leaving our home - we’re staying here.’” Fortunately, the bomb was safely detonated at a disused quarry nearby, and the couple was relieved to hear that it had split into two pieces.

The bomb being detonated at a disused quarry

The couple is now planning to find a special shrub to mark the spot where the bomb once sat. Mr. Edwards hopes that the bomb will end up in a museum, but for now, he’s sad to see it go. “It’s like an old friend going,” he said.

The spot where the bomb once sat, now awaiting a special shrub

The story of the bomb’s history is a fascinating one, with tales of its original journey to the house on a “very bumpy ride” by horse and cart. The couple’s attachment to the bomb is understandable, given its rich history and the memories they’ve made with it. As they move on from this chapter, they’ll always remember the unexploded bomb that was once a part of their lives.