Army bomb disposal team clears 1,000 unexploded devices from Yorkshire beach

British Army bomb disposal experts have cleared as many as 1,000 unexploded devices from an area of the Yorkshire coastline.

Personnel from 29 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search) Group, of 35 Engineer Regiment, have been operating on Cowden Sands, in Mappleton in Holderness, for more than three weeks.

The RAF and US Air Force used a 600-acre zone on the beach as a training bombing range until 1998, according to Forces Net.

Range targets were placed on the cliffs above Mappleton Beach, which forms part of the UK’s fastest eroding coastline.

The rapid erosion has exposed “significant amounts” of ordnance on the beach itself.

The brigade has worked carefully to ensure controlled explosions of the munitions are carried out safely.

Since starting on 13 July, the team has made around 1,000 items of unexploded ordnance safe.

The majority of these had been practice bombs, aircraft projectiles and land service ammunition such as the historic two-inch mortar, also known as two-inch howitzer.

Troop Commander, Second Lieutenant Sam Turner, reassured people living nearby: “Ministry of Defence explosive ordnance clearance teams have attended the beach on numerous occasions to make the beach safe for the public but recent erosion has revealed a significant pocket of buried unexploded ordnance which has fallen onto the beach and now needs to be removed.

“The safety of the public is always our first priority. Warning signs have been put up and red flags are visible. The public are reminded to adhere to the warning signs and not to pick up or remove any objects.”

The group will finish their work on 12 August.

A long-term plan for ordnance clearing is being developed.

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