Woman takes old bomb on jet

World War II shell brought along as gift for husband into war memorabilia
Sept. 29, 2008

A British woman sparked the evacuation of an entire airport when she tried to board a plane - with a bomb in her hand luggage.

Security guards spotted the live Second World War shell on the scanners as she boarded a Ryanair flight at Bergerac, in the Dordogne.

Bomb squad officers destroyed the shell in a controlled explosion, while 1,000 passengers and staff were evacuated from the terminal. The woman, 55, said she had bought the 37mm explosive in a secondhand shop as a present for her husband, who collected military memorabilia.

A French policeman said: "She told us she had no idea that taking a military shell through airport security would cause such a fuss." The woman, from Nottingham, was freed without charge, and boarded the delayed jet 90 minutes later to East Midlands airport.

Sign up for SecurityInfoWatch Newsletters
Get the latest news and updates.

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of SecurityInfoWatch, create an account today!