A discovery over the weekend means a pair of metal detecting enthusiasts have found three bombs in just six months.

Alan Underdown and his son, Gary, who live next to each other in Watling Place, Sittingbourne, found a bomb on Boxing Day.

The junior member of the team was testing his Christmas present in the garden of his parents’ home when it started beeping.

After a little bit of digging, the 27-year-old unearthed a Second World War artillery shell.

He told police about his find and the device was swiftly removed by a bomb disposal team.

Just four months later, in April, Gary’s father, Alan, 54, was doing some metal detecting in The Leas, Sheppey, when he too unearthed a wartime shell.

This time, the Royal Navy had to erect a 50m cordon in place before it was safely disposed of.

Finally, just days ago, Alan found another anti-aircraft device on Shellness Beach, Leysdown.

He had spent the day with his friend, David Gell, scouting for metal under the sand.

As they were walking back to the shore, David accidentally kicked a heavy metal object.

On closer inspection, the men discovered it was a bomb and, once again, the beach was cordoned off to allow experts to take the device away safely.

Gary said: “I think it’s pot luck. The funny thing is, my detector cost £400, whereas my dad went on eBay and bought one for £50 and he’s found two bombs.”

As well as the bombs, the two men have also found numerous other fascinating things.

Gary has a licence to detect on the muddy banks of the Thames in London where he has found everything from Nazi helmets to coins from the 17th century.

The bombs have been the most dramatic of their finds and, unfortunately, the ones they definitely cannot keep.

Gary said: “I really wanted to keep the one from the back garden. It had sentimental value because it was the same one my grandfather found in the 1970s.

“Since I was little, he’d told me about this shell he found and then on Boxing Day I found it.”