Mortar Bomb event in Norfolk, Winterton area, United Kingdom on Sat 3rd February 2024

A clever cocker spaniel has sniffed out an unexploded bomb for the second time. 

Steve Rose was walking six-year-old Luna on the dunes in Winterton early yesterday afternoon when she discovered an explosive device. 

Police officers arrived at the scene at around 1pm and a cordon was put in place while an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was called to assist. 

The device, which Mr Rose says was a two-inch mortar used during the Second World War, was safely detonated. 

Mr Rose said: "Luna is very inquisitive, she was trained as a sniffer dog but failed her final tests before we took her in.

"I saw her disappear over the dunes and when I followed her she'd scratched this device up."

This isn't the first time that Luna has uncovered an unexploded bomb.

The clever dog dug up another suspected Second World War grenade in April 2022 while walking along the dunes. 

During the Second World War Winterton was home to a military camp and a minefield, and had extensive coastal defences.

The village's proximity to Great Yarmouth made it appealing to invaders as a way of attacking the port from the flank. 

Mr Rose said he waited with Luna at the Dunes Cafe for police to arrive and assess the scene yesterday afternoon.

He added: "I'm quite proud of her second time round, but it's becoming a bit of a nuisance as well.

"She's well-practiced now - hopefully she isn't going to make much more of a habit of it."