UK Man tries to sell Live World War II era bomb on eBay; Army evacuates residential campus

Mark Williams, a British metal detectorist, 51, found a bomb from World War II on a grass bank near his brother's home in Swaythling, Hampshire. Mark wanted to sell the antique weapon on eBay because he was so pleased with his find. ‘WWII German incendiary bomb – genuine, authentic Southampton Blitz,' Mark wrote on the e-commerce platform. Mark had no idea, however, that the bomb was still alive and well and that it had the ability to explode, torching homes and buildings.

WWII German bomb on eBay

Militaria collector Ralf Sherwin saw the eBay post and raised the alarm when he realised the bomb was still active, according to a report. It added, Ralf saw the explosive listing on Monday, May 17, night, and Mark described it as being in a ‘used' state.

Ralf, who works as a security consultant, instantly contacted Mark on eBay to tell him that the bomb had not been deactivated. Mark responded by asking how he knew if the bomb was still active. Ralf told Mark that he is a metal detectorist and had discovered it earlier in a Southampton children's playground. Ralf explained to Mark in great detail why the bomb is a danger and why it should not be sold, but rather kept out of the hands of the public.

Police evacuate families

Mark, on the other hand, paid no attention to Ralf's repeated warnings. He reported Mark's bomb listing to Hampshire Police, who discovered his address and set up a 50-meter cordon around Havenstone Way in Swaythling, evacuating families from their homes. Firefighters and an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit arrived at the scene after the cordon was set up.

Life-threatening weapons, such as unexploded bombs, are not permitted to be sold on eBay, according to an official from the company, and they worked closely with Hampshire Police to quickly find and locate the seller, avoiding a tragedy.

In a similar incident, last week, a gardener at a property in Bramdean, Hampshire, UK, unearthed live grenades in the backyard, misinterpreting them for "milk bottles." They were later identified as World War II bombs that had sunk and been buried under his backyard for decades.

Picture Credit: RepresentativeImage