UPDATE – VIDEO AND PICTURES: Unexploded wartime bomb found at Culbin Forest, on the Moray Firth Coast north-east of Nairn; Police Scotland call in British Army disposal experts attend to defuse the ordnance after walker Laura Walsh's discovery on Monday evening; Laura credits her pet dogs – including ex-police sniffer Axl – for the find!
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British Army bomb disposal experts have defused a wartime bomb after it was sniffed out by three pet dogs in woodland on the Moray Firth coast.
Laura Walsh (32), a nurse who was walking in the area with her pups Louie, Axl and Chess, alerted police on Monday evening after the sharp-nosed trio were drawn to the unusual object near Kintessack at Culbin Forest, north-east of Nairn.
Axl previously enjoyed a stint of service with Durham police.
After our report on the discovery earlier today, Laura sent us a video and photographs of the bomb.
The item was initially cordoned off by police officers before British Army explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel arrived.
Laura said: "We were very impressed by the police response when I called to report it.
"It looked like it had maybe washed up after the storms.
"We were out on a family dog walk and it was the dogs that first came across it!
"Axl had a stint with Durham Police in the past so maybe he still has explosive detection in him, but it was Louie the pup who was most interested – and the dogs do get the credit really.
"It tied in quite nicely with doing some historical reading the day before about the history of the RAF in Kinloss!
"I'm proud of the dogs for their part in making it safe.
"My parents in law are in Findhorn and they heard it being exploded by the experts today while having lunch."
Culbin Forest was taken over as a secret base for military exercises during the Second World War and is credited as playing a part in the success of the Normandy Landings in 1944.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police received a report of an unexploded ordnance having been found at Culbin Forest near Kintessack around 6pm on Monday, 22 August, 2022.
“EOD attended on Tuesday, 23 August, and made the ordnance safe. The cordon is no longer in place.”
