Kelly Gravell was on a beach near Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, with her two children last Wednesday when they posed for photographs next to an unexploded World War II mine.
Kelly Gravell was on a beach near Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, with her two children last Wednesday when they discovered the seaweed-covered object.
The 32-year-old was left stunned when the beach was closed five days later after Carmarthenshire Council rangers spotted the 70-year-old bomb and called in the bomb squad to blow it up.
Footage from the scene showed a huge explosion on the far side of the harbour after experts detonated the device.
Gareth, the children's father, tweeted his surprise and shared the photographs of Erin, six, and Ellis, four, online.
The 34-year-old wrote: 'So the buoy my kids were jumping on all weekend turns out to be a WWII bomb. Oops.'
The 32-year-old was left stunned when the beach was closed just five days later so the 70-year-old mine could be exploded
She said: 'The tide was up so we discovered what we later learned was the bomb - we just thought it was a buoy.
'We were more interested in the barnacles on it and the kids were looking at them while Gareth noticed that it had a chain on.
'I even made the joke that it was a big bomb at the time but did not think anything of it. It's only afterwards when the reality has set in that we were actually very lucky.
Father Gareth tweeted his surprise and shared the photographs of Erin, six, and Ellis, four, online
The couple, who run a waste management firm, insisted they would return to the beach.
Ms Gravell added: 'I wouldn't be worried about going back but we will definitely be more cautious when we do.
'I've heard of things being washed up on the beach before but nothing like this.
'We'll definitely think twice before messing with something like that in future and we went down for a look to see it get blown up.'
Councillor Meryl Gravell, executive board member for leisure for Carmarthenshire Council, said: 'I would like to reassure the public that we have taken the appropriate action.
'We apologise for any inconvenience whilst the beach is temporarily closed.'
Comment: The legacy of WWII and other wars linger as bombs and mines still litter the landscape.