SOUTHAMPTON legend Francis Benali found a World War Two bomb in his garden – and picked it up after mistaking it for an “old rusty tin of beans”.
The former Saints defender was gardening at the weekend when he made the discovery but “wasn’t sure what it was”.
Francis Benali found a WWII bomb in his back gardenCredit: Solent News
The 51-year-old even admitted showing the bomb to his wife, Karen, and daughter, Kenzie, after “foolishly” picking it up.
After his daughter raised concerns that the device could in fact be a bomb, Benali contacted police and a Royal Navy bomb disposal unit were deployed to his home in Southampton, Hants.
Benali, who made almost 400 appearances for Southampton between 1988 and 2004, said: “We’ve been having a little bit of work done in the garden… I thought I’d go out at the weekend and tidy up and dig around a little bit.
“I discovered what turned out to be a World War Two practice bomb.
“I wasn’t quite sure what it was at the time, picked it up and showed my wife and daughter and then thought ‘actually, this feels pretty heavy and does look like a bomb so maybe I should make a phone call about it’.
“I guess pretty foolishly I picked it up… I wasn’t sure if it was an old rusty tin of beans but it turned out to be something quite different.”
Benali called the non-emergency police line and sent them photographs by email.
Shortly later, police officers were at his doorstep asking questions about the discovery.
The Saints legend mistook it for an old tin of beansCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Speaking on BBC Radio Solent, he added: “[Police] in turn then contacted the Royal Navy bomb disposal team to come out to check it to make sure it was safe but also to dispose of it.
“The police officers made sure we stood well away from where it was in the garden and before long the disposal team confirmed it wasn’t dangerous.”
Benali, who has an air raid shelter in his garden, said: “Not quite your normal weekend but one that was all safe in the end.
“[It was] interesting being told what it actually was and how they would have done these practice runs and bombs.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
