175 WWII Bombs Found Under Children's Playground in Northern England

A shocking discovery has been made in Wooler, Northumberland, where over 175 unexploded bombs from World War II have been unearthed beneath a children's playground. The ordnance, which include practice bombs, still contain charge and were found in January with experts warning that more could be uncovered.

According to the local Parish Council, the ordnance was buried deep inside the ground after the end of the war and is believed to have been used as a Home Guard training site. The discovery was made on the first day of construction for a new playpark, which received a £1.6 million grant in December.

The workers alerted authorities immediately, and Brimstone Site Investigations conducted a survey that soon revealed more digging had uncovered 90 additional practice bombs, all still intact with their fuse and contents. "We became apparent that the scale of the problem was far greater than anyone had anticipated," said the Parish Council.

County Councillor Mark Mather expressed surprise at being involved in bomb disposal operations, stating, "I never thought as a parish councillor I'd be dealing with this kind of situation."

The construction work continues until mid-February, but it remains unclear who will cover the costs. The Ministry of Defence had previously sent a team to the site only twice since the discovery and has made it clear that they will not provide additional support.

"It's quite challenging," Mather added. "The children have been playing on bombs, and it's been a really difficult situation."