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The Royal Navy carried out a
controlled detonation of a 1000 Lb WW II bomb penetration bomb that
they had discovered during a survey of the River Mersey around
midnight on the 15th May. The bomb was picked up on sonar
off the Twelve Quays ferry terminal at Birkenhead, by the Mine
hunters HMS Walney and Atherstone, who where conducting a survey of
the River Mersey.
Lieutenant Commander Richard
Pethybridge, captain of HMS Atherstone, said, "Of all the mines
planted on the seabed during World War Two, only 25% have ever been
discovered. While the detonators may no longer work, the explosive
charge is often still working."
As a result, Merseyside Police and
the Marine and Coastguard Agency established a 200-metre exclusion
area around the scene and shipping was held at the Mersey Bar. Navy
divers had to wait until the strength of the current in the Mersey
subsided sufficiently to allow a buoyancy aid to be attached to the
bomb. This then enabled the divers to lift it to a depth of three
meters and attached a line to the bomb and tow out by rib to the
North Bar Light, where it was lowered on to the Sea Bed before being
destroyed by a controlled detonation about 21:00 on the 16th
May.
Both of the Vessels had been open
to the public on Saturday whilst they
where berthed in Canning Dock part of the Albert Dock
Complex in Liverpool.
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HMS Walney and
HMS Atherstone berthed in Canning Dock |
