A Hidden War Relic Turns a Family Beach Day Into a Close Call
What appeared to be nothing more than a weathered, barnacle-encrusted buoy resting on a quiet Welsh shoreline turned out to be something far more dangerous. Beneath layers of seaweed and time lay an unexploded World War II mine—silent, forgotten, and perilously close to unsuspecting beachgoers.
Last Wednesday, Kelly Gravell and her two young children were enjoying a routine outing on a beach near Burry Port in Carmarthenshire. While exploring the shore, they came across a large, round object partially submerged and covered in marine growth. To them, it looked harmless—just another relic washed up by the tide.
Days later, the family’s favorite beach was suddenly closed off. Rangers from Carmarthenshire Council had inspected the object and made a chilling discovery: it was a naval mine dating back more than 70 years. The bomb squad was immediately called in, and the area was secured. Footage later showed the device being safely detonated in a controlled explosion on the opposite side of the harbor.
The shock deepened when photos surfaced showing the Gravell children—six-year-old Erin and four-year-old Ellis—climbing on and playing atop the object days earlier. Their father, Gareth Gravell, shared the images online with a mix of disbelief and dark humor, writing that the “buoy” his children had been jumping on all weekend had turned out to be a WWII bomb.
Kelly later admitted that nothing about the object raised alarm at the time. The family had been more focused on the barnacles and small sea creatures clinging to it. With the tide coming in and no warning signs nearby, the danger went completely unnoticed. Even a casual joke about it being a “big bomb” failed to register as a real threat. Looking back, she described the experience as deeply unsettling, realizing just how close they had come to disaster.
Despite the scare, the family says they won’t avoid the beach—but they’ll approach future visits with far more caution. Watching the controlled explosion from a safe distance drove home the seriousness of the situation.
“We’ll definitely think twice before touching anything unusual again,” Kelly said.
Local officials confirmed that safety protocols were followed quickly once the object was identified. Councillor Meryl Gravell, responsible for leisure services in Carmarthenshire, reassured residents that the area had been made safe and apologized for the temporary closure, emphasizing that public safety was the top priority.
Conclusion
The Gravell family’s near miss is a sobering reminder that echoes of wartime history can still surface in the most peaceful places. What began as an ordinary family outing became a powerful lesson in awareness and caution.
Thanks to swift action by authorities, a serious tragedy was avoided—but the incident stands as a reminder that even decades-old explosives can remain deadly, hidden beneath the calm surface of everyday life.