A children’s playground in northern England has uncovered over 175 practice bombs from World War II, raising concerns that more could remain hidden. The discovery was made during construction work on the Scotts Park playground in Wooler, Northumberland.
Construction workers found a suspicious object on January 14 while digging foundations at the site. Further investigation revealed it to be a non-explosive bomb used for training purposes but still posing a risk.
Local officials contacted a private bomb disposal company, Brimstone Site Investigations, to survey the site. They identified 65 practice bombs and smoke cartridges in the first day of their work on January 23. On the second day, they found an additional 90 practice bombs, which were safely removed from the site.
The Ministry of Defense has advised the local authority on removing any further ordnance, while Wooler Parish Council hopes to resume construction work in April once the site is declared safe.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/world/europe/wwii-bombs-playground-england.html