Latest news with #magnetfishing
BBC News
25-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bundle of 1962 letters to Hemel recovered from a canal
A woman who recovered a bundle of letters from a city canal said she hoped to return them to their cache of 32 handwritten letters, tied together with blue ribbon, were postmarked in Nottingham and delivered to an address in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, in Elmore, 52, discovered the letters while magnet fishing with her son close to the Ford Shopping Park in Birmingham last month. She said she "was shaking with excitement" when she took them out of the water before bringing them home to dry. Ms Elmore said the envelopes were all opened, but many were too damaged to letters all have the same addresses and handwriting. They were all addressed to a Janet Millington at Glen View Road in Hemel sender - who signs the letters "Arch" - also gave his address as Rupert Street in the Meadows area of Nottingham, but the road is now part of an industrial Elmore said the personal letters revealed how he was feeling, his fondness for Janet and how much he was missing one he told how he had phoned her and got no answer, but would try again the next day. Ms Elmore posted pictures of the letters on social media and said she has received lots of comments but "no-one has been in contact".She said she was not seeking any money and just wanted them "to go back to their rightful owner". Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Yahoo
Bomb squad hunt for man with 'five hand grenades' in Midland suburb
A police bomb squad is urgently searching for a man who wandered off with five suspected hand grenades after seven in total were found in Hopwood. Two of the hand grenades were safely detonated by the bomb squad after they were discovered in a canal on Lea End Lane last night, June 20. They were found by a man who had been magnet fishing in the water. READ MORE: Police update on double party murder amid £50k hunt for Birmingham suspect Whilst two of the suspected grenades were left on the bank, and safely detonated, police said the man had left the area with the other five. West Mercia Police last night urged the man, believed to be around 50-years-old, to call 999 immediately and not to move the potential deadly explosives any further. He was described by the force as having grey hair and was wearing green trousers at the time. Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp A force spokesperson said: "We're releasing an urgent safety message after reports that seven suspected hand grenades were discovered by a man magnet fishing in the canal on Lea End Lane in Hopwood, Worcestershire. "Whilst two were left on the bank, it appears the man has left the area with the other five. "This man is urged to contact West Mercia Police on 999 immediately and to not further move the items. "Detailed and thorough searches are being carried out in the area and anyone who sees the man is asked not to approach him and to call 999. "The man is described as being around 50 years old with grey hair and wearing green trousers. "The devices on the bank have been safely detonated and the cordon has been lifted. "Searches in the area continue."
BBC News
21-06-2025
- BBC News
Urgent safety warning after suspected hand grenades found in Hopwood
Police have issued an urgent safety message after seven suspected hand grenades were discovered by a man magnet fishing in a found them in the canal on Lea End Lane in Hopwood, Worcestershire, on Friday evening, according to West Mercia two were left on the bank and have since been detonated, the force said it appeared the man had left the area with the other five."Detailed and thorough" searches are taking place in the area and the man, described as about 50 years old with grey hair and wearing green trousers, is urged to contact officers immediately and not to move the items further. Anyone who sees the man is asked not to approach him and to call 999.A cordon put in place while the devices left on the bank were detonated has since been lifted. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
16-06-2025
- BBC News
Salisbury man finds suspected WW2 grenade while magnet fishing
A member of the public discovered a suspected World War Two hand grenade while magnet fishing in a river with his Lacey was treasure hunting with his children, aged five and eight, in the River Avon near the Five Rivers Leisure Centre in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on Sunday. Wiltshire Police set up a cordon in the area surrounding the leisure centre and nearby residents were evacuated as a device, thought to be a Mills bomb, was later safely removed by a specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal team and disposed of in a controlled burn at the Avon Valley Nature Reserve. Mr Lacey, who has been magnet fishing every Sunday for several months, says this is the first munition he has ever pulled from the murky water. "Straight away I knew what it was," he said. "I called the police and stopped people from coming too close. I also dropped it in a bucket of water to try and lessen the explosion, just in case it went off."The 46-year-old said he could see the safety pin had crumbled away after spending at least 80 years rusting on the silty riverbed. Mr Lacey said his young children were initially scared of the device, but soon became fascinated and "excited" by it."It's not the first one that's been found in the area, and I don't think it will be the last," he added his five-year-old son had also been tasked with looking after the school's plushie toy that weekend, which they returned with "a story that no other parent is going to beat".
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Bones' in river turn out to be plastic skeleton
A magnet fisherman's grim discovery of bones in a river turned out to be a plastic skeleton, police said. Lewis Bright, who clears trolleys and bikes out of rivers in Chelmsford, thought he had found human remains on Saturday. He called Essex Police at 17:21 BST, and officers went to the scene to put up a cordon and retrieve the discovery. A spokesperson for the force said: "It was a toy or medical demonstration skeleton. Certainly not human and not any other kind of real bones. All plastic." Mr Bright said he was trying to clear the River Can with other helpers when they found two trolleys. "We had five people pulling on the rope... one of the trolleys was about 30 years old, and something fell out of them. When we looked, we just saw bones come up from the river. "I felt shocked to actually find something like it, and my immediate reaction was to call 999 as we didn't know anything at the time other than what we saw. "They [police] asked me if they could use my equipment to get them out - I said 'sure'. "It makes me feel better knowing it wasn't a real one." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
