Explosives found on beach labelled 'UK's most dangerous' by national newspapers

More explosives have been found on the stretch of the South Coast what has been called the ‘UK’s most dangerous beach’ by national newspapers.
Megan Baker
By Megan Baker
Published 19th Mar 2024, 11:07 GMT
Updated 19th Mar 2024, 11:18 GMT
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A controlled explosion was carried out on Medmerry Beach, Selsey, near Chichester on Sunday (March 17) after the Coastguard Rescue Team was called to reports of suspected ordnance.

“The team located several pieces of ordnance, photos were taken and sent to E.O.D (Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team) and a cordon was put in place,” a spokesperson for the rescue team said. “Once E.O.D arrived on scene they assessed the ordnance and a controlled explosion was carried out on a couple of the pieces as they were still explosive.

More explosives have been found on the stretch of the south coast dubbed the ‘UK’s most dangerous beach’ by national newspapers. More explosives have been found on the stretch of the south coast dubbed the ‘UK’s most dangerous beach’ by national newspapers.
More explosives have been found on the stretch of the south coast dubbed the ‘UK’s most dangerous beach’ by national newspapers.
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"The other items of ordnance were taken away with them for safe disposal. Ordnance comes in all different shapes and sizes and ordnance found on this beach in the past has been found to still be highly explosive.”

The beach is closed to the public due to several ‘highly explosive’ ordnance being discovered over the years. Several national newspapers, including the Daily Express and the Mirror, called Medmerry the ‘UK’s most dangerous beach’, while the Coastguard has had to issue many reminders to stay away over the years.

This is because during the Second World War, Selsey had a bombing range for air to ground attack practice. The area has also suffered from flooding and erosion by the sea which – in 2011 – led to the Environment Agency constructing a flood bank, the coastguard has explained. This created new wetland – but also flooded the old bombing range which means it’s quite common for World War Two bombs to appear on the beach or be washed up.

In 2021, the Coastguard said: “Medmerry Beach is closed. Not because we’re all killjoys but because you might get killed if you ignore those signs. Ordnance is dangerous, no matter how dormant it might look. You wouldn’t return to a firework that had gone out so don’t pick it up. The beach at Medmerry has many hidden dangers including unexploded ordnance.”

The Coastguard has urged anyone who comes across anything ‘suspicious or unusual’ on the beach not to touch it and to dial 999 immediately.

Related topics:SussexOrdnanceSelseyChichester