A 2-inch mortar that was discovered in a farmer’s field in Shanklin has been blown up in a controlled explosion at Yaverland beach near Sandown this morning (Saturday).
3 Royal Navy Bomb Disposal experts from Portsmouth – and a fourth on secondment from Canada – travelled across to the Isle of Wight earlier on today following the discovery of a potentially explosive object in a field in Shanklin.
Due to the close proximity of the device to a residential area, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team headed to Shanklin beach to carry out the controlled explosion. Once at the seafront the decision was taken to relocate to the more remote Yaverland beach at the other end of Sandown Bay.
With the area evacuated and the Naval staff safely on the cliff top, the detonation took place at 09:20.
The beach has since reopened following confirmation that the object, which is thought to be British, has been successfully destroyed.
Police and the Royal Navy EOD team have stood down.
