AN unexploded World War II incendiary bomb has been uncovered by Berkswell Windmill in Balsall Common this morning, Friday, October 9.
Workmen digging by an old milking shed by the windmill at around 8.30am found the bomb as they were clearing away soil with a spade.
Jeanette McGarry, the guardian of the windmill said: “The man recognised what he thought was a bomb from the Second World War.
“I contacted a friend of mine, a man in his 80s, and he came along and confirmed it was a bomb.
“I immediately called the police.”
Two officers from West Midlands Police were there within minutes and took photographs of the device to send to the Ministry of Defence.
The MoD then confirmed that it was indeed a bomb.
“The police sent a sniffer dog and it was going crazy, which confirmed the bomb was live,” said Jeanette.
“We’re now waiting for the MoD to arrive and we may have to evacuate the windmill.”
Nearby Coventry suffered dreadful damage during the Blitz in World War Two and Jeanette fears there may be more bombs nearby.
“They dropped these types of bombs in clusters and you do wonder how many more there are.
“And they want to build all these houses opposite the windmill too.”
She added the bomb was found just under the surface too.
Experts from the Army are expected to carry out a controlled explosion of the device and Solihull Council is providing sandbags to lessen the impact of the blast.
“I’ve been gardening around there for years planting bulbs,” she added.
The new Local Plan for Solihull contains plan to build 120 new homes in Windmill Lane by the historic site, regarded as one of the finest working examples of a windmill in the country.
The discovery of the bomb could raise new questions over the suitability of the location, known in the plan as Site 3.
