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Dec. 4 (UPI) -- A bomb squad was called to a home in Wales when a decoration that had adorned the garden for over a century was identified as a 19th century military bomb. Kawaii Home Décor
Jeffrey Edwards, 77, who has lived at the house in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, for 41 years, said the previous owners of the house, the Morris family, told him the object had been in the yard for decades. Advertisement
"Well, Pop Morris, who went around delivering lemonade, was going down to Broad Haven with his horse and cart and found the shell," Edwards told the BBC. "He struggled back up the beach with it, put it on the back of his cart and had a very bouncy 7-mile ride back home. He plonked it upright in the front courtyard and that's where it remained."
The object was long thought to be an inert military missile from the 19th century, but a police officer told Edwards and his wife, Sian, last week that the Ministry of Defense needed to inspect the bomb.
A bomb squad visited the home and determined the bomb was live, but had a very small charge. It was taken to an old quarry and detonated. Advertisement
"It was an old friend. I'm so sorry that the poor old thing was blown to pieces," Edwards said.
Edwards said officials told him the missile came from a British warship and dates from between 1880 and 1890.
Decorative Terracotta Pots The Ministry of Defense confirmed the 64-pound "naval projectile" was destroyed by specialists.