When the Gravell family decided to spend a day at the beach, they came across a metal sphere. They didn’t think it would be the most dangerous day in their life—just a fun family day by the sea.

The Gravell family, consisting of parents Kelly and Gareth and their children Erin and Ellis, live in Burry Port, a coastal town in Wales. Just like any regular family, they love to take vacations. They also treasure the time they spend bonding with their kids.

Burry Port, the Gravell family’s hometown, is located on the coast and boasts a picturesque beach overlooking the Gower Peninsula. The town was once home to a busy shipping port that transported Welsh coal up and down the United Kingdom.

In addition to its beautiful beach, Burry Port’s coastline also features a charming marina with a picturesque lighthouse. The marina is a hub for recreational boats and water sports companies. Essentially, the area is a perfect place for sun and sea lovers.

For the Gravell children, their local beach was one of their go-to places for fun and enjoyment. It’s a place where they can play in the sand, paddle in the waves, and explore the various items that can wash up on the shore.

During the summer of 2015, the Gravell family took several trips to the beach, but one outing, in particular, stands out in their memories. The weather was perfect for a day at the beach, so they decided to take advantage of it and have some fun in the sun.

In the photo that Gareth shared on Facebook in 2015, he can be seen smiling and waving at the camera while Erin and Ellis both give double thumbs-ups. The three of them are posing in their swimsuits against a backdrop of blue sky, clear water, and smooth sand.

In the photograph, Erin was six years old, and Ellis was four. It seems that the children found plenty to do at the beach that day. According to their mom, Kelly, in her interview with ABC News in 2015, her children took their boogie boards down as they were going out to the ocean.

While enjoying the beach, the Gravell family noticed a strange object on the sand. It clearly caught their attention due to its odd features. Both the parents and children were curious about the item and decided to take a closer look.

The round object that the Gravell family saw on the beach seemed to have washed up from the sea. It was covered in barnacles. At first, they thought it was a buoy, but upon closer inspection, they realized that it was something else.

The Gravell family was drawn to the buoy-like item, with Kelly and Gareth taking pictures of Erin and Ellis posing next to it. In the photos, the children can be seen smiling into the camera, unaware of the potential danger right next to them.

Kelly told ABC News that the Gravell family was attracted to the buoy due to the barnacles on it. Ellis, in particular, was interested in getting a closer look at the object and even touched and knocked on it.

Gareth was also drawn to the mysterious object and captured it on camera through a video that he later shared on Facebook. The footage shows his wife and children examining the object from what they thought was a safe distance—although if they had known what it really was, they might have stepped a few meters further back.

Gareth even proudly shared a video of the mysterious barnacle-covered object on Facebook as his family was examining it. He captioned it as “Ellis was fascinated with the ‘sea monster’ washed up on Burry Port beach!” due to his son’s curiosity. 

Gareth and Kelly allowed their son Ellis to touch the object, as they had no reason to believe it posed any danger. However, if they had known that the “buoy” was actually a deadly trap, they may have reconsidered getting so close. 

The Gravell family had unknowingly put themselves in harm’s way by getting close to the object on the beach, unaware of the potential danger until five days later when a friend informed them of the true nature of the “buoy” in their Facebook photos.

Due to the mystery surrounding the washed-up object, it was not only the Gravell family who had been interested in the strange item. Officials from Carmarthenshire County Council had also noticed it, too. Presumably, someone had shared it with someone in the council, 

In 2015, Carmarthenshire County Council press and communications officer Allison Thomas-David revealed to ABC the true identity of the object that had washed up on the beach. She stated that the object did appear similar to a buoy and that it was covered with gooseneck barnacles.

Carmarthenshire County Council press and communications officer Allison Thomas-David revealed that the object, which had initially been thought to be a harmless buoy, was a dangerous mine with inscriptions that even described its true nature.

As it turned out, the “buoy” the Gravell family had encountered on the beach was not a buoy at all but was actually an unexploded United States military mine. This was all written on the side in plain English. The mine was around 80 years or so old.

Upon realizing the potential danger posed by the unexploded mine, officials had to take immediate action. It was essential to ensure the safety of the general public. They cleared the beach and arranged for the mine to be detonated in a controlled explosion.

The old mine caused the beach to be temporarily closed. The incident was reported on Facebook by the nearby Pembrey County Park. It was later discovered that the mine had been encountered by more than just the Gravell family—quite a few people had seen it.

The old military mine found on West Beach at Burry Port Harbour was destroyed in a controlled explosion carried out by the UK’s Royal Navy. The detonation was a significant event in the small town, drawing a crowd of hundreds who gathered behind a cordon to witness the blast. 

The mine was destroyed as the Gravell family looked on in alarm, realizing that if things had gone differently, they could have been the ones caught in the blast. Despite their close encounter, the family had managed to escape unharmed. 

After the controlled detonation of the old military mine, a video of a bomb disposal team clearing the site was uploaded to YouTube in August 2015. A caption written by Robert Masterman accompanied the video.

The Gravell family continued to reflect on their close encounter with the old military mine even after it had been safely disposed of. They were shocked to learn that the large metal ball they had posed beside was actually a dangerous explosive.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Gareth maintained a sense of humor about his family’s encounter with the military mine. After learning the truth about the object, he tweeted a light-hearted “Oops” as well as a description of how the buoy his kids were jumping on all weekend actually was.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Kelly Gravell explained how her family came across the military mine on the beach. She described how the tide was high when they discovered what they thought was a “buoy.” 

Kelly even remembered making a joke about the mine when they first saw it. She nonchalantly joked that the buoy was actually a big bomb yet thought nothing of it after her initial impression. Little did she know she was right all along.

Despite their close encounter with the unexploded mine, the Gravell family has not been deterred from visiting their local beach. Kelly told The Daily Telegraph she was not at all worried about going back. However, she also emphasized that they will definitely be more careful in the future.

Although the experience had made Kelly more cautious, it also provided her with a memorable photo to share on Facebook. She posted a picture of her kids posing next to the mine. She accompanied it with an eye-catching statement.

Kelly’s Facebook post about the military mine received many reactions and comments, with some expressing shock or amusement. One user wrote, “Omg, I can’t believe this, Kelly,” while another commented, “Mad lol… def a photo to come out when they’re 18.” 

After the controlled explosion of the military mine, Carmarthenshire councilor Meryl Gravell released a statement reassuring the public that appropriate action had been taken and apologizing for any inconvenience caused by the temporary closure of the beach. 

Kelly was surprised by the level of attention their close encounter with the military mine received but acknowledged that it was an interesting story. The incident has become a memorable “what-if” situation for the family and a tale that will likely stay with them for the rest of their lives.