Builders working at a Herne Hill property found two WW2 bombs buried in the back garden last week, prompting police to evacuate the road, with one bomb being detonated at the local golf course.
They were unearthed by builders, who struck the two half-a-metre missiles while digging foundations for a kitchen and diner extension, at a Danecroft Road property, around 5pm on Tuesday, May 17.
Mum-of-two and owner of the property, Deborah Gillies, 42, said: “The builders called me saying ‘we’ve got a big problem’. When he said it was bombs I was in disbelief!”
Lilian Miron, a builder from Romania, was first to find the devices. He heaved them out of the ground with his bare hands, even examining and cleaning one “to make sure it was working”.
Lilian said: “No I wasn’t scared and I didn’t think it was dangerous. It was funny for me! I got it out, cleaned it and checked to make sure it was working.”
Specialist officers attended and were so concerned by what they found that they performed an emergency detonation at the nearest open space – Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Golf Course.
The bomb was destroyed at 8pm, damaging a bunker, before the police had time to warn the golf course owners, who have since been informed.
Specialist officers examined the second bomb and took it to a hub where it was disposed of.
When police first confirmed the objects were explosives, they went door-to-door, delivering neighbours the bombshell news.
They reportedly closed the road to traffic and asked people to leave their homes, before allowing them back when the bombs had been removed, a few hours later.
May Frost, a 40-year-old copywriter and mum of two said: “I was getting my six and four-year-olds ready for dinner when the policeman came and said we were being evacuated.
“He seemed slightly flustered. He must have been surprised too!”
Some families fled to the local Pizza Express, where they were reportedly offered five per cent discounts on their meals.
Julian Farrow, who lives next door to the address where the explosives were found, said the bombs crossed the boundary into his garden.
He saw a chinook flying overhead while bringing his son home from school. On returning, police told the pair not to enter the house.
The married father-of-one said: “No I wasn’t shocked. I think because we Londoners have got used to this sort of thing. The blitz spirit lives on!”
“There’s probably some more stray bombs in my garden.”
According to local history buff, Peter Blair, records show that numerous bombing incidents occurred on Danecroft and adjacent Frankfurt Road after a raid on 29 December 1940.
On that night, the Nazis dispatched 136 bombers which dropped 100,000 bombs on London, including St Paul’s Cathedral’s, a firebombing soon dubbed ‘The Second Great Fire of London’.
Retired pharmacist Mr Patel, who lives a few doors up from the bomb site, said he joked with police that the only way he was evacuating was if the alternative was a five-star hotel.
In March 2015, builders unearthed a 1000lb WW2 bomb in Grange Walk, Bermondsey, causing schools to be evacuated, which was then detonated in a Kent quarry.
Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove said: “Please be assured that whilst these occurrences are rare, we have specialist officers to deal with incidents such as these. Please contact us if you find anything similar.”