More than 170 WWII bombs discovered under UK playground
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WOOLER, U.K. (WJW) – More than 170 World War II bombs have reportedly been discovered underneath a children’s playground in England over the past month.
As reported by, the BBC and other news outlets, the first practice bomb was found on Jan. 14 by excavation crews who were making way for an inclusive play area at Scotts Park in Wooler, Northumberland.
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Investigators said the site used to be a military training ground and the bomb, still carrying a charge, was likely buried there after World War II, the BBC reported.
On Jan. 23, Brimstone Site Investigations surveyed the area to find out if more bombs were buried under the playground, but according to the Wooler Parish Council, “it soon became apparent that the scale of the problem was far greater than anyone had anticipated.”
On the first day of the search, investigators found 65 more practice bombs with smoke cartridges nearby. The 10-pound bombs were discovered “with their fuse and contents still intact,” the council said.
Investigators carefully recovered the explosives and took them to a safe storage area.
An additional 90 practice bombs were found and recovered on the second day of the search, the council said.
The Wooler Parish Council said the work couldn’t be completed within the two-day survey, pointing out that “further deployment would be necessary.”
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As reported by the BBC, a total of 176 bombs have been recovered from the playground site, as of Sunday, Feb. 9.
“It’s quite something to think the children have been playing on bombs and it’s been a really challenging situation,” Councillor Mark Mather told the BBC.
The investigation is expected to continue through at least mid-February, the BBC reported.
The Wooler Parish Council announced in December that Scotts Park is closed to the public for renovations. The park was expected to reopen for Easter 2025.
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