Residents of the Cornish village of Portreath were evacuated after an unexploded World War Two bomb was discovered in a stream. Police received a call at 11:50am on February 3 reporting the ordnance on Penberthy Road.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) attended the scene and removed the device, which was identified as a British 12-pound high-explosive shell dating from the Second World War. A 100-metre cordon was established, and properties within it were evacuated as a precaution.
The bomb was relocated to Portreath Beach, where it was dealt with by a controlled explosion. Workers at the local Portreath Arms pub said some residents were told to wait there while police carried out checks. One worker described the incident as “quite exciting”, while noting that many villagers remained calm.
Shop worker Clare Kerslake said police informed them of the find and that the situation felt controlled. “They managed to get it all the way down to the beach. They buried it, and then they did a controlled explosion,” she said.
A spokesperson for Camborne, Pool and Redruth Police confirmed that no further danger remains. “Thank you to all the residents and businesses that we spoke with and evacuated in Portreath, the site has now been fully cleared and the area is safe to access again,” they said.
