Staff from Jackson’s Fine Fencing were building a boundary fence at a former Navy airbase in Lee-on-Solent when the World War II bombs were found.
Army disposal experts were called in to remove the devices while fencing work continued in safe areas of the site.
It took five weeks to ensure the area was safe, with some bombs over 40 feet in length. Local residents were accommodated at the nearby Solent Community centre while the explosives were excavated.
The 400-acre site was eventually secured using over 5,000 metres of Euro-Guard Extra fencing. Cranked extensions for barbed wire were included and a 12-metre double leaf gate was also installed. Operated by wireless GSM from the air traffic control tower, it allows planes to access the site at ground level.
With the bombs out of the way and the fencing installed, Jackson’s say the base and its three runways are now safe.
Following the success of this project, they were awarded a contract to install sliding gates and a further 600 metres of fencing at the site.
The Coastguard and Hampshire Police Air Unit acquired the site, known as HMS Daedalus, in 2006. The two organisations keep aircraft there for crime fighting and rescue operations.
