COUNTY NEWS: Bomb disposal teams handle explosion off Sussex coast

Birling Gap, East Sussex, UK. 22 March 2016. Royal Navy Bomb Disposal team detonate a WW2 shell discovered off the Coast of Sussex. SUS-160323-155402001

Bomb disposal teams were called to the Sussex coast yesterday (Tuesday, March 22) after a possible World War Two explosive was found on the beach.

The object, which is thought to be a WWII shell, was found at Birling Gap beach on Monday (March 21) by a member of the public, who alerted the Coastguard.

The coastguard photographed the shell, which was badly corroded and therefore had no identification marks, and sent the images to Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) for clarification.

Due to high tide, EOD experts said they would attend the beach the following day.

Birling Gap, East Sussex, UK. 22 March 2016. Royal Navy Bomb Disposal team detonate a WW2 shell discovered off the Coast of Sussex. SUS-160323-155412001

On Tuesday, Birling Gap Coastguard cleared the beach area and members of the Royal Navy Bomb Disposal team took the shell into the water for detonation.

The controlled explosion took place around 4.30pm and the beach was reopened shortly after 5pm.

Photographs taken by Alan Fraser.

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Birling Gap, East Sussex, UK. 22 March 2016. Royal Navy Bomb Disposal team detonate a WW2 shell discovered off the Coast of Sussex. SUS-160323-155352001

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