Video – Unexploded World War Two bomb destroyed in Clissold Park

An undetonated World War Two bomb found by a resident digging up his garden has been destroyed in a controlled explosion in Clissold Park.

The device, believed to be a live high explosive-filled three inch mortar round, was buried less than a foot underground in the back garden of a house on Burma Road in Stoke Newington.

Marcus Fairs, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Dezeen, told the Citizen of his surprise when his spade hit the live explosive as he was gardening.

“I was in the garden putting some plants in at the back. In the summer we discovered an air raid shelter and yesterday I discovered a bomb, less than a foot underground under the rubble,” he said.

“It looked heavy, obviously made of metal and tapered like a carrot. I immediately thought it was a bomb.”

“I finished putting the plants in first before calling the police. If it was going to go off it would have gone off when I hit it with the spade.”

Explosive find: Marcus Fairs found the bomb in his garden. Photograph: Marcus Fairs

Mr Fairs called the police, who alerted the Council’s Duty Emergency Planning Officer (EPO).

Explosive Officers (EXPOs) moved the bomb as quickly as possible to Clissold Park, where it could be safely exploded. An Officer carried the bomb through Mr Fairs’ house in his arms.

Park Rangers then shut down Clissold Park as a controlled detonation was carried out on the live explosive.

Aftermath of the exploded bomb in Clissold Park. Photograph: Hackney MPS

EXPO Officers used Floodsax – a new development in flood control technology – to suppress the explosion.

The blast was caught on CCTV at Clissold House.