Little Oliver Hudd discovered a First World War bomb shell in his grandmother's garden in Dartford

by Lizzie Massey

When six-year-old Oliver Hudd set out on his first outing with his new metal detector, he could never have imagined what he'd find.

For with just a few sweeps of the ground, the youngster had found an 8lb First World War bomb, sparking a police operation that saw a road cordoned off and a bomb disposal squad rushing to the scene.

Oliver was looking for Roman coins in his grandmother's garden in Darenth Road, Dartford, with his father Jason when the drama began.

His mother Jenny Smith said: "Jason was using it for a bit without any luck, but as soon as Oliver touched it, it started beeping.

"Jason dug down and felt the spade hit metal. He kept digging and hit it a good few times with the spade before seeing the pointed end and realising it looked like a bomb."

The father-and-son treasure hunters raced into the house to tell the family.

"I thought Jason was just mucking about at first and I didn't really believe it," the mother-of-two added.

"I assumed it was probably some old baked bean tin, but Jason was adamant, so we phoned the police and when they arrived they rang for bomb disposal and closed the road.

"Oliver was so excited, running around the house shouting 'we found a bomb', but my three-year-old daughter Josie was scared and clinging to me."

Bomb disposal units arrived from Dover at 5pm on Sunday and checked the bomb.

They quickly established it was a First World War bomb shell, but did not contain any explosives.

Miss Smith, 36, said: "We couldn't believe it. The first time he goes out with his metal detector and finds that.

"I think he reckons he's always going to be finding exciting things now, a bomb in every field."

Little Oliver Hudd and his father made the explosive discovery in his grandmother's garden in Darenth Road, Dartford

The family, of East Hill, South Darenth, asked to keep the shell but were not allowed.

Instead, Oliver has to be satisfied with sharing pictures of his find with pupils at Birtley House school, in West Kingsdown, during show and tell.

The full-time mother added: "The bomb disposal units weren't sure why it was there – if it was a dud-bomb or a training tool – but they've told us not to dig up the area anymore in case there are more bombs, and with explosives in this time."