Shell shock for young Callum (From Western Telegraph)

Shell shock for young Callum

An 11-year-old who took home two three-inch mortar bombs in the family car after a visit to Pendine Sands on Wednesday, diced with death when he tried to chip the rust off one of them with his fathers chisel.

There was enough explosive in it to blow him to smithereens, said a member of an Army bomb disposal team which destroyed the two missiles by controlled explosion in a field near Callum Robbinss home at Hazeldene, Station Road, St Clears.

Callum, a pupil of Ysgol Gruffydd Jones, picked up the shells in the restricted area at the far end of beach where he had been practising on his trials bike.

He was naughty, smuggling them into the boot of the car, said his mother, Mrs Deborah Scouler. We informed the police when we found him hammering at one with his fathers chisel. They were very dangerous and it was quite a bang when they blew them up. It scattered sandbags all over the field.

Said a chastened Callum: There were seven or eight of them scattered around on the beach, so I just took two home.

Neighbours were advised by police to evacuate their homes and two off-duty social services carers from Dol-y-Felin Residential Home, Lilian Phillips and Aredes Mullen, were called in to look after elderly people who had to move out.

Emergency arrangements to accommodate relocated elderly people at the 35-bed home were in the event not activated.

Soldiers of the Royal Logistic Corps bomb disposal unit travelled from Tewkesbury to destroy the mortars and later joined MOD Police on the restricted range area of the beach a mile or two from Ginst Point to pick up other mortars of 1960s vintage washed out of the sands by recent storms. They recovered 19 or 20 more mortar bombs and disposed of them by controlled explosion on the beach on Thursday afternoon.

It is very dangerous picking things up on the beach and there are several prominent notices at Pendine warning the public of the dangers, said an MOD police spokesman.

Council voices security fears

THE owners and operators of the Pendine weapons research range have been accused of putting the public at risk by plans to withdraw Ministry of Defence police.

Safety fears have been heightened following last weeks incident when an 11-year-old St Clears boy, Callum Robbins, took home two live mortars. A street had to be evacuated while the bomb squad exploded the devices.

A small section of Pendine beach is used as part of the range and is closed to the public. But the majority of the seven mile stretch is open to holidaymakers and locals, although warning notices about not touching any devices are displayed.

Approximately 1,000 missiles have been found on the Pendine foreshore in the last four years. About 20% have been live, some containing phosphorus. Inert missiles have been found to contain detonators, which can still inflict serious injuries, such as the loss of a hand.

Pendine Community Council, which is leading the fight against the withdrawal of Ministry of Defence police, says these officers actively look for and locate 98% of missiles. The remaining 2% are found by the general public.

The range is owned by the Ministry of Defence, but operated by QinetiQ. There are plans to float this company on the Stock Market in the next year, and, in what is regarded as a money saving bid, MOD Police will be replaced by three unarmed private security guards per shift.

They will have no jurisdiction over the Pendine beach area, claims the council, which accuses the Ministry of Defence and Qinetiq of ignoring their responsibility for public safety.

Council clerk Jeff Thornton points out that a survey showed there was 100% local opposition to the withdrawal of the MOD police and that the move will put pressure on an already overstretched Dyed-Powys Police Force. QinetiQ are already using the resources of the Mid and West Wales Fire Brigade after dispensing with the services of their own fire service, added Mr Thornton.

The council has also queried whether the security officers would have the necessary authority to deal with complaints about speeding cars, motor cycles and quad bikes on the beach,

Local concerns have been raised with local MP Nick Ainger and Dyfed-Powys Police.

In the letter to Mr Ainger, the council also points out the terrorist and security implications of the MoD police withdrawal from Pendine, where a large number of weapons and ammunition are stored.

A QenetiQ spokesperson said on Monday: The MOD has agreed the new security arrangements, not just at Pendine but at other MOD ranges throughout the UK. The arrangements fall in line with any industrial organisation that manufactures or keeps explosives.