Rude awakening as wartime bomb detonated after being unearthed at Hoburne Naish Holiday Park in Barton

RESIDENTS had a rude awakening this morning (Tuesday) when an unexploded wartime bomb was detonated after being unearthed at a Barton holiday site.

A British Army bomb disposal team from Tidworth carried out the controlled explosion of the device at Hoburne Naish Holiday Park, off the A337 Christchurch Road, just after 7am.

The alarm had been raised at 6.25pm last night following the discovery as contractors worked on a new development.

Police cordoned off the site and kept the scene guarded overnight.

A spokesperson for Hoburne Naish said: “We can confirm that a controlled detonation has been carried out on an unexploded World War Two bomb after being uncovered on the park’s new development.

“The area is now safe, and all restrictions are now lifted.”

A Hampshire police spokesperson said: “We were called at 6.25pm yesterday evening (Monday 21st March) following the discovery of what was believed to be a piece of historic ordinance at a construction site on Barton Cliffs on Christchurch Road in New Milton.

“Officers attended and put in a place a 100-metre cordon as a precaution, and a scene guard was in operation overnight.

“A controlled explosion of the device was completed just after 7am this morning.”

People posting on local Facebook pages reported being awoken by a “very loud bang”, with some saying their homes shook.

One person who said she was staying on the site wrote: “I nearly fell out of bed. The van shook.”

A spokesperson from the British Army said: "The team identified a 3in mortar that was subsequently destroyed by a controlled explosion."