EOD Respond to UK Beach for Suspect UXO Discovery

Charmouth, United Kingdom A bomb scare unfolded on a Dorset beach after a concerned member of the public reported an object they believed to be UXO. Local police and the coastguard established a cordon around the mystery device and called in EOD experts. Unable to definitively identify the partially buried object from photographs, the Royal Navy bomb disposal team was dispatched from Plymouth, leading to an expanded 300 ft cordon.

Upon arrival, the bomb squad carefully began digging out the item, which was quickly identified not to be considered Material Potentially Presenting an Explosive Hazard (MPPEH) but as a harmless, very old, upturned saucepan. Despite the misunderstanding in this instance, UK authorities were happy that it was called in as beachgoers in the area regularly uncover genuine UXO from World War II. The UK government estimates there are about 500,000 such devices in British territorial waters, and emergency services handle about 20 callouts annually. Authorities thanked the informant, emphasizing that the public should always call the Coast Guard if they have any doubt about a washed-up object.