Mum Stunned To Find WW2 Air Raid Shelter As She Dug Up Garden Lawn
A mum was left stunned after she dug up her lawn - and found a Second World War air raid shelter below.
Liz Daniels made the astonishing discovery as she cleared rubbish from the overgrown garden of her new Victorian-era flat in Dartford, Kent.
The 44-year-old shop worker - who moved into the property in December - now plans to clear it out, expose its roof and make a patio.
She revealed that a gardener had been digging the lawn over but kept hitting concrete and voids.
“A hole then appeared and we were worried about it so called out Dartford council building control who confirmed what we thought, that we had found an air raid shelter,” she said.
With the help of her son, James Dye, 20, and his pal Liam Brain, the perimeter of the shelter has been revealed, together with the main doorway and what is thought to be an emergency exit.
Their excitement at uncovering such an important part of local history was slightly dampened when they realised it was full of water.
Liz added: “We have found oil drums, toy cars, even a part of an old pram that was all twisted up.
"We have also found old newspapers from 1968. It looks like someone decided to just fill it all in but left the door open so it has filled with water.
"We have baled out loads of water ourselves but it must hold thousands of litres."
The bomb shelter takes up most of Liz’s share of the garden at the converted Victorian property, which backs on to a local park.
She believes the steps into the entrance may be in the half of the garden belonging to the occupants of the downstairs flat, and said other neighbours are now wondering what lies beneath their lawns.
The property is owned by the Salvation Army, which visited last week and has decided to have it inspected by a structural engineer.
Liz said she hopes it will be preserved, and said she would make a feature of it by turning its roof into a patio area.
She added: "James said it is a piece of history and cannot wait to dig it out.
"I have said it should be preserved but whether it can be or not, it should be cleared of the mud, water and rubbish to find out its past."
(Pictures credited to SWNS)
