A french kid was metal deteching and set off part of a shell.

[Sunray]

"...keep the UXB guys going for 100 years..." The French(their Department of Mine Clearance disposes of about 900 tons of unexploded munitions every year.) and Belgians have special units who do nothing but dispose of ordnance dug by farmers. Isn't just HE either. They're digging up W. W. I vintage gas shells, hand grenades, bombs assorted and every other type of ordnance. Reuters figures there's another 100 years worth of W.W. I munitions alone. The USAF and RAF dropped 2.7 million tons of bombs between 1940 and 1945 on Germany alone.
And that doesn't include the assorted training areas. There's a W.W. II CF training area north west of here that was used as an Army Cadet Summer camp and militia training for eons. We were not allowed to use any of the bush due to UXB stuff. One of my Cadets found a mortar round sticking out of the ground.

[Flying10uk]

Personally, I don't see the appeal of or interest in "metal detecting" at all. It would be investing to know what percentage of a "metal detector's " time is spent finding nothing or nothing of any value or interest in relation to actually finding something of interest and or of value. If a "metal detector" decides to "detect" over an area of ground that was once a battlefield I don't understand the surprise when unexploded ordinance is found. If that unexploded ordinance is hit hard with something like a shovel, one shouldn't be surprised if there is then a big bang.

[30Three]

On Wednesday evening I could not get home because our street was closed off by Police. A construction site crew had uncovered a WWII bomb. This was under the school playground thats being dug up in the 16th arrondisemnt of Paris.
According to the Police officer I was speaking to;it's quite a common occurence; especially in the neighbouring Boulogne Bilancourt area. The Renault factories there were producing military vehicles; so got quite regular visits.
A couple of years ago a chap in the Eure et Loir region should have got a Darwin award! He had collected around 70 WWI items; he dropped one while cleaning it and it exploded; he was seriously injured. The neighbourhood was evacuated while the Bomb Disposal team removed the rest for destruction.

[22SqnRAE]

A couple of years ago a chap in the Eure et Loir region should have got a Darwin award! He had collected around 70 WWI items; he dropped one while cleaning it and it exploded; he was seriously injured.

Glad you mentioned he "should" have, as it needs to be full commitment to the outcome, not just enthusiastic participation...

As has been said before, you can't fix stupid with duct tape or WD40...

[bigduke6]

Personally, I don't see the appeal of or interest in "metal detecting" at all. It would be investing to know what percentage of a "metal detector's " time is spent finding nothing or nothing of any value or interest in relation to actually finding something of interest and or of value. If a "metal detector" decides to "detect" over an area of ground that was once a battlefield I don't understand the surprise when unexploded ordinance is found. If that unexploded ordinance is hit hard with something like a shovel, one shouldn't be surprised if there is then a big bang.

The appeal is finding the 'big one" ( a roman or similar treasure hoard) although as a kid I spent many summer days on old Army training grounds etc, later the attraction of digging up .303 cases and parachute flare cases etc got lesser as I read up on lost treasure, old Roman Fortes and sites etc although it never stopped at the Romans.

A good Detectorist will do his homework first, it can take a lot of research to identify a particular spot or an older treasure find etc, its not just a case of going in a field and going round in circles, but its normally a start when your a kid.

On Very hot days a lot of folk head to the beaches, its surprising how much change you can find, plus the odd ring ........... you can find a lot of junk also, but you can discriminate against it, you soon learn to distinguish between junk and coins regarding your read out on the detector.

Regarding the time spent and the value of the finds, its all relevant to what your looking for........

[Flying10uk]

On Very hot days a lot of folk head to the beaches, its surprising how much change you can find, plus the odd ring ........... you can find a lot of junk also, but you can discriminate against it, you soon learn to distinguish between junk and coins regarding your read out on the detector.

Surely reasonable steps would need to be taken to find the rightful owner of any valuables found in such circumstances, i.e. lost in recent times/history, such as handing in the item at a police station, so that the rightful owner has the chance to claim it back?

Theft by finding - Wikipedia

[WarPig1976]

Surely reasonable steps would need to be taken to find the rightful owner of any valuables found in such circumstances, i.e. lost in recent times/history,

As one who partakes in the hobby and has found a diamond ring on the beach I can answer your question. Finders keepers, Losers weepers. After hours of pull tabs, bottle tops, aluminum cans, etc. I claim salvage rights on your ring!!!