Britain’s 1st nuclear bomb almost blew up Dorking when test device slipped from plane

THE posh market town of Dorking is best known for its architecture and famous breed of chickens. But residents were yesterday facing up to how they had a near miss in one of Britain’s nuclear blunders.

New research has revealed that scientists working on the UK’s first atomic weapon almost dropped a test bomb on the Surrey town after it came loose in a plane.

Thankfully, it ended up in the Thames estuary — where it still lies to this day.

The mistake is revealed in a documentary about the UK’s race to develop a nuclear bomb.

Britain went on to test its first atomic bomb on islands off Western Australia in 1952.

Source: Scientists building Britain’s first nuclear bomb almost blew up Dorking when test device slipped from plane