Littlehampton beach closed after unexploded shell washed ashore

The emergency began when a passer-by alerted the fire and rescue service after seeing a "container" on the shore near the Littlehampton Swimming and Sports Centre.

Arun council workers were called out to cordon the area off at about 6pm on Friday, November 14, and Coastguards who also went to the scene contacted a military bomb disposal team, as they suspected the "container" was an unexploded bomb.

Once the team arrived, it was confirmed that the device was an unexploded, 25lb Second World War shell, which had probably been washed ashore by the tide.

Sixty sandbages were transported to the beach by the Arun Works Services standby team to place round the shell, to reduce the danger of flying shrapnel and to absorb some of the blast energy if there was an explosion.

Controlled explosion

High tides on Friday evening prevented the bomb disposal from carrying out a controlled explosion that night, and the Arun standby team stayed on the beach throughout the night to keep people away.

The bomb disposal team returned at first light on Saturday, November 15, to carry out a controlled explosion, during which time Sea Road was closed for a short period to ensure public safety.

Arun's emergency planning co-ordinator was also involved in dealing with the incident.

Councillor Roger Elkins, Arun cabinet member for community safety, said: "I would like to thank the quick-thinking member of the public who alerted the fire service to this unusual 'container'.

Potentially dangerous

"Thanks to them we were able to deal with a potentially dangerous situation safely and with minimal disruption to residents.

"I would also like to thank the Arun standby team who spent the whole of Friday night on the beach keeping the area secure '“ not a pleasant experience in November.

"While the discovery of unexploded shells and other military equipment such as this is unusual, it is a reminder to be vigilant should we see something unusual washed up on the beach.

"The message is simple: If you are unsure, always contact the emergency services.

"In many cases it may be a false alarm but it is better to be safe than sorry."

Did you take any photos of the explosion or the beach cordoned off?

If so, e-mail your photos to Roger Green at the address below.

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