100 bombs are washed up by the Supermoon: Lunar phenomenon blamed as Second World War devices are detonated on Hampshire beach

For decades they lay beneath the sea, undisturbed by time or tide.

But after 70 years, almost 100 Second World War bombs finally fulfilled their explosive destiny yesterday, thanks to the power of the 'Supermoon'.

A Navy bomb disposal team detonated them after abnormal tides thought to be caused by the unusual proximity of the moon washed them up on a Southampton beach.

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Unexpected: Almost 100 of the unexploded bombs were found on Calshot Beach, Hants

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Unprecedented find: The Navy have said they fear more of the mortars could wash up on the shore
The experts, who warned that more of the still potentially deadly mortar bombs may yet be uncovered, were initially called in after the low tide revealed six near Calshot Activities Centre, which runs canoeing and dinghy-sailing lessons for adults and children.
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On the scene: Royal Navy bomb disposal teams wired up the mortars and waited for the tide to return to detonate them

The water had receded so far that it uncovered the 70-year-old mortar shells, which were then pushed onshore as the tide came in.

After imposing a 600 yard exclusion zone and detonating them, the Navy team was shocked to see another 87 appear over the next 24 hours.

They spent yesterday wiring up the bombs in groups of ten with explosives, waiting until the tide came back in to detonate them.

'We blow them up when they are covered with water because it absorbs a lot of the shock,' said explosives expert Lieutenant Commander Al Nekrews, who added that it was 'unprecedented' to find so many unexploded bombs.
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Close call: The supermoon could have caused the bombs to wash ashore

His colleagues fear more of the Mark I high-explosive mortar bombs, which are 4in by 20in, could wash up on the shoreline.

Lt Commander Nekrews added: 'We would tell all members of the public to definitely not handle them and to call police. They are always a danger.

'They were in an unstable state because of the amount of corrosion they have suffered over the years.'

A Navy spokesman said the bombs were English but it was not known whether they had been fired from land or from a ship.

The Moon is the closest it has been to Earth since 1993, making it a so-called Supermoon and increasing its gravitational effect on the tides.