Hand grenade detonated on Heacham beach
If in neighbouring villages you heard a loud bang on Sunday afternoon at 3pm, it could have something to do with a hand grenade being detonated in Heacham.
A device had been found earlier that morning by a couple using metal detectors on South Beach and they reported it to the police.
Sarah Harding, who had been visiting from Nottingham, was walking her dog in the morning and been alerted by the couple to move away from the area.
She said: "We took the dog out early doors due to the heat and walked from North Beach down to South Beach at about 10am.
"Because the tides had been in it had left a river in the middle, it was packed and a bloke shouted at us.
"We had seen three dead seals so thought it was something to do with that.
"He shouted 'stay there and go back we've found a hand grenade.'
"We thought OK let's turn around. The couple had found it in the morning and the lady was on the phone ringing the police.
"It was heaving with lots of families but fortunately people were near the cafe at North Beach and were away from it."
The device was safely exploded later in the afternoon at 3pm and a Facbook post from Wendy Saliba in the Heach Village Group read: "Sounds like they've just detonated the hand grenade on South Beach!"
Rachel Marshall was at the scene and she said: "Once the beach was opened again both my daughters went over to where the hand grenade had been exploded by the bomb squad and spoke to a couple who said they had found it in the dunes using their metal detectors.
"Apparently, they actually carried it down to the sea to wash off the sand and then discovered it was a hand grenade and obviously were quite panicked and called the police.
"The bomb squad told them they scanned the bomb and it was still explosive and unstable as the ring had been pulled out of it."
A spokesperson from Norfolk Police said: "Officers were called to South Beach, Heacham shortly before 10am on Sunday, July 17 2022, following reports of an unexploded ordinance device.
"Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) attended the scene and disposed of the device safely."
Do you have a story to share with the Lynn News ? Email newsdesk@lynnnews.co.uk
