Mortar Found Near Laugharne Castle
Aerial view of Pendine Ranges near Laugharne
A suspected mortar bomb was found in the estuary off Laugharne Castle in Carmarthenshire by two fishermen on Tuesday. The 81mm device was exposed at low tide and will be dealt with by an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from the Royal Logistics Corps (RLC).
The discovery is not a surprising one given the proximity of Laugharne to the Pendine Ranges, which have been used for military training with live weapons since WWII. Pendine is presently the European Regional Test Centre for the accreditation of small arms and cannon ammunition and for performance assessment of munitions and weapons systems. It is used by both British and NATO personnel. The 81mm mortar is in the current inventory of the British Army, used widely on all battlefronts.
With a 20km danger area out to sea, and unfavourable prevailing currents, there is always the potential for Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) from the Pendine Ranges to migrate into the River Taf estuary near Laugharne. It is highly probable that this explains the latest find in the region.
