A beach outing turned into a chilling near-disaster for the Gravell family when they unknowingly played beside a World War II-era mine, mistaking it for a harmless buoy. Gareth and Kelly Gravell, along with their children Erin and Ellis, were enjoying a day at Burry Port beach in Carmarthenshire when they came across the rusted, seaweed-covered object. The children climbed on it, laughing and playing, with the family jokingly referring to it as a “big bomb” without realizing the truth. Five days later, the area was cordoned off after officials identified the object as an unexploded wartime device. Bomb disposal experts safely detonated it in a controlled explosion that sent water and sand flying.

The family was stunned by the revelation, with Gareth tweeting a now-viral photo of his children on the bomb, writing, “So the buoy my kids were jumping on all weekend turns out to be a WWII bomb. Oops.” The incident sparked widespread reactions online and drew attention to the potential hidden dangers along historic coastlines. Experts believe the mine had been buried for decades and was exposed by shifting tides. Kelly Gravell admitted the family had been more curious about barnacles than the object’s identity, calling the experience “shocking.” While they plan to revisit the beach, they’ve vowed to be more cautious in the future. Local authorities thanked the public for their cooperation and reminded beachgoers to report any suspicious objects—highlighting the ongoing risks that relics of war can pose in peaceful settings.