An unexploded mortar bomb whose controlled detonation could be heard across large areas of Brighton last night was found by a dog walker yesterday afternoon.
The small World War Two device was discovered in Norwich Drive, Bevendean, at about 5.30pm last night.
The army’s bomb squad was called in, and after putting it in their van and driving off “very slowly”, they then dug a hole near Stanmer Woods off Ditchling Road north of the A27, and safely blew it up.
A police spokesman said: “Shortly before 5.30pm on Wednesday (14 June) police were informed that a dog walker at Bevendean, Brighton, had found what was suspected to be an unexploded mortar bomb, believed to date back to the Second World War.
“Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts secured the weapon and at 9.40pm, having dug a hole at an isolated location, they destroyed it by means of a controlled explosion. A loud detonation was heard, but no one was hurt.”
An Army spokesperson said, “We can confirm that an Army EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team were in attendance at an address in Bevendean. A small WWII device was retrieved and rendered safe by controlled detonation at an isolated location.”
