A couple who kept a live bomb as a garden ornament have said they were sorry that their “old friend” had been detonated by a disposal unit.
The missile, which had been outside the home of Sian and Jeffrey Edwards, is thought to date back to the late 19th century.
The couple, from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, had thought it was a “dummy” bomb with no charge.
Sian Edwards said she used to bang her trowel on the bomb to remove earth after gardening.
On Wednesday, a police officer informed the couple he had spotted the bomb and would need to alert the Ministry of Defence.
An hour later, the officer told the couple the bomb squad would arrive the next day.
Jeffrey Edwards, 77, said: “We didn’t sleep a wink all night. It knocked us for six.
“I told the bomb disposal unit: ‘We’re not leaving the house, we’re staying here. If it goes up, we’re going to go up with it.’”
The bomb was transported to a disused quarry in Walwyn’s Castle, buried with five tonnes of sand and detonated after tests showed it was live with a very small amount of charge, the BBC reported.
Edwards, who has lived in the street since he was three years old, added: “It was an old friend. I’m so sorry that the poor old thing was blown to pieces.”
He said he had been told the history of the bomb by the Morris family, whose relative used to own the house and had found it more than 100 years ago.
Warships for the Royal Navy used to drop anchor in St Brides Bay and use the sands towards the Welsh village of Broad Haven for target practice.
Edwards said: “Well, Pop Morris, who went around delivering lemonade, was going down to Broad Haven with his horse and cart and found the shell.
“He struggled back up the beach with it, put it on the back of his cart and had a very bouncy seven-mile ride back home.
“He plonked it upright in the front courtyard and that’s where it remained.”
The Ministry of Defence said: “We can confirm that on 30 November 2023, Ashchurch Troop, 721 EOD Sqn, 11 EOD&S Regt RLC, responded at the request of Dyfed-Powys police to a suspect item of ordnance.
“The EOD team assessed the item and determined it to be a 64lb naval projectile which was removed from the scene for subsequent explosive demolition.”
