A simple family outing to the beach turned into a shocking brush with danger for Gareth and Kelly Gravell and their two children, Erin and Ellis, when an innocent-looking object they had played near turned out to be anything but harmless.
The Gravell family had headed to Burry Port beach in Carmarthenshire for a relaxing day by the sea. It was the kind of visit they’d made many times before—warm sun, salty air, and the endless curiosity that comes with children exploring the shoreline. Among the usual driftwood, seaweed, and tide-washed relics, one large, rust-covered, barnacle-coated object caught their attention. To the kids, it looked like an old buoy. They climbed on it, laughed, posed for photos, and even made light-hearted comments about its size, joking that it resembled a “big bomb.”
But what they thought was a harmless part of the seaside landscape turned out to be something far more dangerous.
Just five days after that visit, local authorities cordoned off the very same beach. Rangers from the Carmarthenshire Council had been alerted to the mysterious object, which was still sitting in the sand, now more fully exposed by the shifting tides. Upon investigation by experts, the chilling truth came out: the object was not a buoy at all—it was a live, unexploded mine from World War II.
Bomb disposal units were immediately dispatched to the area, and the entire beach was evacuated. Specialists determined that the device, which had likely been buried for decades, still posed a potential threat. In a carefully coordinated operation, they carried out a controlled detonation on the far side of the harbor. The resulting explosion sent a shockwave through the water and sand, captured in dramatic video footage shared online.
Gareth, who had taken photos of his children playing on the mine, was stunned. He shared the surreal experience on social media with a mixture of disbelief and relief, posting, “So the buoy my kids were jumping on all weekend turns out to be a WWII bomb. Oops.” The post quickly went viral, drawing gasps and laughter in equal measure. Reactions poured in from around the world, with people expressing shock at how close the family had come to disaster—and gratitude that the story ended safely.
Reflecting on the experience, Gareth admitted he was floored. He said the object looked old and rusted, but he never imagined it was a relic from wartime, let alone a live explosive. His wife Kelly echoed that disbelief, saying they had paid more attention to the barnacles on the surface than the shape or origin of the object itself.
Even more haunting was the fact that they had joked about it being a bomb—never imagining their offhand comment might be true. Kelly later described the experience as surreal and deeply unsettling. “We were close to disaster,” she said. “It’s shocking to think about.”
Despite the close call, the family hasn’t sworn off beach trips. They plan to return but will do so with far more caution. Kelly remarked that while she’s not overly worried about future visits, the experience has made her far more vigilant. “We’ll definitely think twice before touching or climbing on something like that again,” she said.
The incident caught the attention of local officials as well. Councillor Meryl Gravell, a representative of Carmarthenshire Council, praised the swift response from the authorities and apologized for the inconvenience caused by the temporary beach closure. However, she emphasized that public safety came first, and the quick actions taken likely prevented a tragedy.
The Gravell family’s experience stands as a powerful reminder that even in peaceful, familiar places, the past can resurface—sometimes in the most unexpected and dangerous ways. Decades-old remnants of war still lie hidden beneath our landscapes, and what seems like a harmless curiosity can carry risks we’d never suspect. It’s a cautionary tale about staying alert, especially in areas with a known history of military activity.
For Gareth, Kelly, and their kids, it’s a story they’ll be telling for years to come—not just about a day at the beach, but about how close they came to tragedy without even realizing it. It was a near miss, a lesson in vigilance, and a stark illustration of how the echoes of history can still shake the present
