BBC NEWS | UK | England | Cornwall | World War II mines 'are harmless' Two World War II mines which were discovered on a Cornish beach are to be left where they are. Police said the remains of the mines, which have been inspected by bomb disposal experts on Lusty Glaze beach, near Newquay, are harmless. Coastguards alerted the authorities after the ordnance was found at the north end of the beach on Thursday. "Inspection has shown the items to be harmless, they will be left in situ," a police spokesman said. The mines had been buried for years and were uncovered by the shifting sands and tides. Elliot Walker, spokesman for Lusty Glaze which is privately -owned, said: "They are in a pretty poor state and rusty with holes in them."
I hope they don't get stolen by "treasure" mad2 hunters. I'd rather they were dug up and displayed in the local museum. Though it appears to be a private beach so maybe safer than an open one.
I find it somewhat disturbing that the authorities should allow any un-exploded ordinance to remain "in situ". Occasionally one hears of the finding of lost UXB from the Great War and the proper disposal of saiid bombs. It is also disturbing to learn that a minefield in the UK should have been LOST for some 60 years. I thought it was Standard Operating Procedure to make records of properly laid out minefields. Was this a "free-lance" minefield?
