A fearless Fife pensioner told The Courier he picked up an unexploded bomb dating back to the Second World War while walking his dog because he “didn’t want children to find it.”
A major operation involving police and bomb disposal teams was sparked following the find on a hillside just a few hundred yards from the picturesque village of Falkland.
Bob Beveridge was walking his dog on slopes to the north side of the East Lomond Hill when he spotted the device sticking out of the grass.
Although the bomb thought to be a 7lb incendiary device was in good condition, the 68-year-old knew it could be dangerously unstable and decided to move it “somewhere safe” before contacting the emergency services.
Mr Beveridge, who owns a violin shop in Falkland, admitted he was “a bit shaky” after carefully carrying the bomb off the hillside.
Police rushed to the scene but refused to touch the device, instead throwing up a cordon around it. They then contacted an army disposal team, which made the bomb safe before removing it.
Mr Beveridge described how he made the unusual discovery during a routine walk with his collie Hector.
“I spend half my life on the hill and was walking the dog when I saw this fin sticking out of the grass just by the side of an old ruined cottage,” the retired detective said. “I could not see anything else at that stage but thought I’d take a closer look.”
Mr Beveridge instinctively knew he had found something deadly. However, instead of backing off he decided to remove it.
“I just felt I couldn’t leave it there in case any children picked it up,” he said. “I knew it could be dangerous so maybe I shouldn’t have done it, but I didn’t want anybody else coming to any harm.”
After removing the bomb, Mr Beveridge alerted the police.Police discretion”Officers from Cupar came out but they would not touch it in fact when they saw it they took several steps back,” he said. “They said they would need to get a bomb disposal team out to take a look.”
An army “explosive ordinance disposal” crew duly arrived and made the incendiary device safe before taking it away.
Mr Beveridge believes the bomb had lain undiscovered for decades and has a good explanation as to how it may have got there all those years ago.
“I have been told the Germans would sometimes drop a few bombs on their way back following raids around the Forth Rail Bridge.”
A police spokesman confirmed the find.
“Officers were alerted to the presence of ordnance in the Falkland area yesterday,” he said. “Force procedures were implemented and a cordon was organised to ensure public safety.
“Bomb disposal experts attended and made the object safe.”