During renovation work at a children’s playground in England, workers made a shocking discovery: more than 170 World War II practice bombs buried beneath the ground. The find highlights how the legacy of the conflict remains present nearly 80 years after its end.
The first clue emerged last month when workers digging at Scotts Park in the town of Wooler, in northeastern England, uncovered two bombs. However, it soon became clear that the issue was far larger than expected. According to the BBC, 155 devices were found within just two days in an area of 21 square meters, prompting the UK Ministry of Defence to order a full inspection of the site.
The local council confirmed that the bombs were practice munitions but warned that they still contain explosive charges, meaning their removal must be handled by experts. So far, the total number of devices discovered has risen to 176.
Wooler councilor Mark Mather noted that only one-third of the park has been inspected and that more buried munitions could still be found. Despite this, the council plans to proceed with the playground renovation once safety is assured.
Andrew Stewart, a World War II expert from the Australian National University, explained that these types of munitions were used by the British Home Guard during training exercises to prepare for a potential German invasion. While practice bombs contain a smaller charge than real wartime explosives, they can still cause serious injuries if handled improperly.
The discovery in Wooler is not an isolated case. Unexploded ordnance is still commonly found across the UK. According to a 2018 BBC report, around 450 German World War II bombs had been defused over the previous eight years, averaging about 60 per year.
This past February, a military operation in Plymouth, in southwestern England, led to the mass evacuation of residents after a 500-kilogram bomb was found in a residential garden.
Stewart believes the bombs in Wooler were likely hastily buried by soldiers at the end of the war, eager to return home. “There was a lot of exhaustion at that time,” he explained. However, he warned that as cities continue to grow and expand, more forgotten munitions caches may come to light.
