UXO News Roundup – April 2025
From 25-pdr shell casings to Cold-War era training munitions, April was a busy one for nationwide UXO discoveries…
Yorkshire
On the 2nd April, West Yorkshire Police attended reports of an item of suspected Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) being discovered on allotments in Bowling Hall Road, near Bowling Park, Bradford. Police established a cordon around the device, which was later safely removed by an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team. No further updates have been issued.
See: Army bomb squad called to Bowling Hall Road, Bradford | Bradford Telegraph and Argus
On the afternoon of the 15th April, South Yorkshire Police attended reports of an item of suspected UXO being found in a hedgerow at Cudworth, near Barnsley. An EOD team attended the scene and the device – which has been reported as a ‘WWII-era ammunition shell’ – was destroyed in a controlled explosion. Its exact nature has not been confirmed.
See: Army attends after WWII bomb found near Barnsley – BBC News
Scotland
On 4th April, Scottish Police were called to reports of an item of suspected UXO being discovered in the River Nevis, near Fort William. The device was later safely removed by an EOD team for further inspection. No further updates have been issued.
See: Bomb squad remove ‘unexploded ordnance’ from Fort William river
Police in Glasgow were called on the 11th April to reports of an item of suspected UXO being discovered in the White Cart Water, in the Pollokshaws area of Glasgow. Police established a cordon and an EOD team was called to assess the item, but the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have issued no further updates.
See: Bomb squad called in as area near Lidl in Glasgow cordoned off – Daily Record
On 15th April, a reported ‘unexploded wartime bomb’ was discovered by a member of the public on Portobello Beach, in Edinburgh. Scottish Police and an EOD unit attended the scene and the device was destroyed in a controlled explosion. Its exact nature and origins have not been confirmed.
See: Portobello beach reopens after wartime explosive found – BBC News
Hertfordshire
On the 5th April, a man discovered an item of suspected UXO whilst working on his garden in Putley, Hertfordshire. West Mercia Police and Army EOD personnel attended the scene and confirmed the device as an expended WWII-era 25-pdr artillery shell.
See: Man plans to use World War II bomb found in his garden as beer cooler | News Weird | Metro News
A WWII-era 25-pdr artillery shell, similar in type to the device discovered in Hertfordshire (©Zetica)
Co. Durham
On 12th April, Police in Hartlepool were called to reports of a suspected unexploded device being found at an address in Milton Road. An EOD team attended the scene and the device was safely removed for controlled demolition. The exact nature of the device has yet to be confirmed.
Bedfordshire
On the evening of the 18thApril, Bedfordshire Police were called to the discovery of a suspected item of UXO in Adelaide Square, Bedford. An EOD team attended the scene and the device – reported as a suspected WWI-era hand grenade – was made safe. No further updates have been issued.
See: Part of Bedford town centre cordoned off after WW1 grenade found – BBC News
Greater Manchester
On the 19th April, a popular walking route at Rivington Reservoir, on the border of Lancashire and Greater Manchester, was cordoned off by police after the discovery of 2No. suspected hand grenades by a member of the public. EOD officers attended the scene and the devices – identified as training grenades which had been previously de-activated – were safely removed.
See: Rivington: Beauty spot reopens after deactivated grenades found – BBC News
Derbyshire
On the 21st April, suspected UXO was discovered at Elm Avenue in Sandiacre, Derbyshire. A cordon was established by police and an EOD team safely removed the device – reported as a ‘WWII-shell’, though unconfirmed – to West Park in Long Eaton for controlled demolition.
See: Controlled explosion after homes evacuated in Derbyshire – BBC News
Essex
On the 26th April, an item of suspected UXO was discovered by a metal detectorist on mudflats approximately 1 mile off Canvey Point, in Essex. HM Coastguard and an EOD team attended the scene but, due to the incoming tide and heavy fog, the device was unable to be located and destroyed until Sunday 27th. The device has been confirmed as a WWII-era German naval artillery shell.
See: WW2 shell found at Canvey Island is detonated – BBC News
On the 28th April, Essex Police were called to reports of UXO on Clacton Beach, north Essex, near Vista Road. HM Coastguard teams attended the scene, but no further updates have been issued.
See: Bomb squad attends incident on Clacton-on-Sea beach – BBC News
On the 30th April, what has been reported as a ‘small unexploded WWII munition’ was discovered by members of the public in the River Chelmer, close to King Head Walk in Chelmsford, Essex. Police attended the scene and established a cordon, but no updates have been issued. The exact nature of the device is unconfirmed.
See: Police cordon in place as unexploded WW2 bomb found in the River Chelmer
Kent
Police and an Army EOD team were called on the 27th April to suspected UXO being discovered by a beachcomber at Beltinge, near Herne Bay in Kent. The device, identified as a Cold War-era aircraft training munition, was found to be inactive and safely removed.
See: Bomb squad response after beachcomber scoops up aircraft cartridge in Herne Bay
Surrey
On 29th April, several houses in Staines, Surrey, were evacuated following the discovery of a hand grenade at a property in Pavilion Gardens. An EOD team attended the scene and the grenade – found to have been deactivated – was safely removed. Its exact nature and origins have not been confirmed.
See: Live updates as Staines homes evacuated and bomb squad called – Surrey Live
