Royal Navy Detonate World War II Bomb In Liverpool Bay

THERE WAS MASSIVE disruption to the Port of Liverpool, Mersey Tunnels and shipping including the Mersey Ferry after a World War II German bomb was discovered in the Mersey estuary late in the evening of the 16 May. The device was also only 300 meters from a road tunnel linking Liverpool to Birkenhead.

A 300m exclusion zone was immediately imposed around the bomb and the Royal Navy and, Liverpool Coastguard took control. The bomb that weighED 1,000lb was posing a threat to the roll-on, roll-off ferry terminal, to shipping and to the Mersey Tunnels, so a diving team attached to the Royal Navy task group operating in the area had to raise the bomb from the sea bed by using an inflatable device, at 0930 hrs the following morning 17 May 2006. The Royal Navy warships and underwater search teams towed the bomb out of the Mersey into the Mersey Bay, approximately seven miles off the mouth of the Mersey, just off the coastline of Formby Point, a position identified by the Crosby HM Coastguard. Once it got to the first location for a controlled detonation, it had to be moved again as fears that the explosion might damage piping from the near-by Lennox Oil and Gas field. A number of ships, including the Mersey Viking and Dublin Viking, were prevented from entering the port as a precautionary measure as this took place. A Royal Navy spokesman said:- "The explosive within the bomb was over 50 years old and it was likely that if the bomb was detonated it could have caused a very large explosion. Hence the need for extreme caution." The bomb was then lowered to the seabed off Formby Point, about 10 miles out and an explosive charge fixed to it.

The officer in charge of the Task Group, Commander Chris Davies, who co-ordinated the RN aspect of the combined operation, said:- "The Royal Navy are trained to deal with a range of ordnance and hundreds of cases are reported every year in UK waters. Having said that, we were operating in difficult conditions here. The water is full of sediment and visibility was zero. The bomb, which was over 50 years old, had been identified by our divers working by touch alone. Lifting, lowering and disposing of the mine had to be conducted in the same tactile way. As with all such operations, we were acting methodically with extreme caution and our focus at all times is on public safety. We worked closely with the police and the coastguard to deal with this matter and it was concluded safely, with the detonation of the bomb, at around 2110 hrs."

The Coastguard added:- "We took all the necessary precautions to deal with this unusual find in the Mersey to produce a swift and safe conclusion. We would like to thank all the public and shipping owners for their help."

At 8.00pm onwards, viewers on Formby Point, including off duty coastguard and oil rig staff gathered on the sand dunes to see the two distant naval vessels detonate the bomb. At 9:10pm the explosion could be heard in the distance. Some of the bystanders could see the explosion through binoculars and telescopes. But most, like us, just heard it.

Well done to the Royal Navy and to the Coastguard for what was an outstanding show of close co-operation and skill.

As one bystander said:- "It is lucky we kept the Coastguard Station at Crosby. That must have helped with this delicate operation."

Commonwealth hero takes on Russians

LIVERPOOL Commonwealth Games boxing hero Stephen Smith will be taking on the Russians on home soil on 22 May (Tonight).

The featherweight scooped Gold in Melbourne recently after overcoming Pakistan's Meharullah Lassi.

Also in action at the Liverpool Olympia on West Derby Road on Monday evening will be Tony 'Bomber' Bellow, who is a three times ABA champion and twice Four Nations winner.

Both boxers are on the city council's pioneering Elite Sports Scholarships scheme, which employs young sports stars and supports their careers.

Council leader Warren Bradley said:- "This will be another great night of top class sport in Liverpool. It's another example of how highly regarded the city is to be able to stage prestigious events like this.

I'm delighted to see a Liverpool presence in the England team, particularly with Stephen and Tony being part of our ground-breaking Elite Sporting Scholarships scheme.

It proves yet again that Liverpool is leading the way in developing the next generation of top class sportsmen and women"

The Russians are ranked among the elite of world boxing, and the home side are expecting a tough series of bouts.

The event starts at 7pm and some tickets will still be available from the Olympia on the day, priced £10 and £15.

Tickets are available by calling in person or can be reserved by calling 0151 263 6633.

WAVE OF SUPPORT FROM SOUTHPORT FLOWER SHOW VOLUNTEERS

THE management team of Southport Flower Show was overwhelmed at the level of support shown last week at an open evening at the Royal Clifton Hotel, when they presented and discussed this year’s plans for the annual event with existing volunteer helpers and recruited dozens of new supporters.

Julia Humphreys, operations director said:- “It was a wonderful opportunity for us to explain exactly what is happening at this year’s Show and to discuss our plans for the future of what is one of the greatest Flower Shows and family events in the country.”

This year’s event will run from 17 August until 20 August 2006 and the theme for the Show will be water. To a packed audience, the directors explained their intentions to introduce e-marketing, to continue increasing the focus on attracting a family audience and to widen the Show’s appeal to a broader market. There will be a significant increase in quality plants, flowers and horticultural products from which to choose. Now established as one of the region’s biggest drivers of tourism, Southport Flower Show is credited with helping to fill hotel bed nights, increasing spend in the town’s restaurants and on the public transport network and also raising awareness of what the northwest has to offer.

Anyone interested in working as a volunteer should telephone Julia Humphreys on 01704 547147. With a big name celebrity Show opener due to be announced imminently, it looks like this year’s event will exceed all expectations.