After a Lepton man found a World War II bomb near Storthes Hall last week and stuck it in the back of his van before realising he was doing something really bloody stupid, the regional bomb disposal unit has issued a handy 'dos and don'ts' guide should anyone find themselves in a similar situation.
Bomb finds are rare in and around Huddersfield as it wasn't exactly a major strategic target during the war, but every now and then, they do crop up. In these circumstances, it's important to know what to do. With this in mind, we spoke to regional bomb disposal experts to create this handy cut-out-and-keep guide.
In the event of finding a suspect device:
DO leg it.
DO call 999, when a safe distance away, and report the find to the police who will then contact the appropriate unit to deal with it. Try to describe the device as best as possible - size, shape, whether it's ticking, that kind of thing.
DO err on the side of caution. We'd rather be called out to a hundred false alarms than not be called to the one that does go off and cause widespread damage and/or loss of life.
DON'T attempt to defuse it yourself.
DON'T whack it with a big hammer.
DON'T shake it.
DON'T invite local schoolchildren, scout groups and suchlike to come over and poke it with sticks.
DON'T pick it up, stick it in your van and attempt to drive it to a police station in the middle of a busy town that's full of people who may not have a desire to be blown to bits.
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