Images - the WWI bomb that survived over a century in the canal at Banbury until it was 'fished' out

The bomb was discovered on Friday last week by a ‘magnet’ fisherman and rapidly passed over to bomb disposal experts who dealt with the device.

Thames Valley Police were called in and the ordnance experts called. The shell was removed to Spiceball Park where it was detonated remotely.

Residents of the town centre and Grimsbury reported shock hearing a loud explosion. To see a video of the detonation go to https://bit.ly/3UeNhM3

The shell was photographed just after it was retrieved from the water by a Banbury resident who was on the scene, and the images given to us.

He said the bomb was fished out of the canal at the back of the bus station by a young man who was magnet fishing.

He wiped it clean and spotted the calibration markings around the neck. He alerted Tooley’s Boatyard who called Thames Valley Police. Someone was left to guard the device for a couple of hours until the bomb disposal unit arrived.

We have not been given any information on where the device may have come from – if it was British-made or possibly German. Nor whether it was designed to be fired from artillery or dropped from the air.

German bombing of Britain began in 1915 using airships. More than 50 bombing raids – generally referred to Zeppelin raids – took place. Most of the attacks were on London and coastal areas such as Dover and Folkestone. However, bombing of the Midlands appears to have happened from 1916.