A "dangerous item" was taken to a Cardiff Council recycling centre by local authority workers, causing it to be evacuated. The bomb squad then had to be called to detonate the device on a nearby beach.
Council workers came across an old practice shell while cleaning a lane in the capital city and took it to Lamby Way Recycling Centre. They strapped the item into the front passenger seat of their work van on the way. The council has admitted this was against the correct procedure. You can get more Cardiff news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Once they arrived back at the site on Wednesday morning, the police were immediately notified and the bomb disposal team arrived and evacuated the site. A spokeswoman for South Wales Police said: "The device was found by a council worker collecting rubbish. It was taken to a nearby beach, behind the landfill area, where it was successfully and safely detonated by the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD)."
Cardiff Council confirmed that it was investigating the matter. A spokesman said: “The council has training and procedures in place which should be followed when any hazardous or dangerous item is found by cleansing staff. In this instance the correct procedure wasn’t followed and an old practice shell – which didn’t contain any explosives – was brought back to Lamby Way site.
"As soon as management became aware, the police and bomb squad were called and the site was evacuated as a precaution. The council is investigating the matter and reviewing its training and procedures. “
The Lamby Way site re-opened to public the following day.
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