A couple who kept a live bomb as a garden decoration said they felt sorry for their "old friend" who was detonated at a rubbish dump.
The rocket, which was located near the home of Sian and Geoffrey Edwards, is believed to date from the late 19th century.
The couple, from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, thought it was a bomb without pressing charges.
Sian Edwards said she hit the bomb with a spade to remove soil after gardening.
On Wednesday, a police officer told the couple that he had discovered a bomb and needed to alert the Ministry of Defence.
An hour later, the officer informed the couple that a rival group would arrive the next day.
Geoffrey Edwards (77) said: “We were up all night. It surprised us.
"I told the unidentified bombers: 'We are not leaving the house, we are staying here. If he stands up, we will stand up with him."
The bomb was taken to an abandoned quarry at Walwyn Castle, covered with five tonnes of sand and detonated after tests showed it was active with too little charge, the BBC reported.
Edwards, who has lived on the streets since he was three, added: “It was an old friend. I am very sorry that the poor old woman was torn to pieces.'
He said he was told the story of the bomb by the Morris family, whose relative owns the house and found it more than 100 years ago.
Royal Navy warships anchored in St Brides Bay and used the sand to practice shooting at the Welsh town of Broad Haven.
Edwards said, “Well, Papa Morris, who was a lemonade truck, drove his horse-drawn wagon to Broad Haven and got the shell.
"He picked it up on the beach, put it in the back of his car and drove the seven miles home with great energy.
"He put it right in the yard and it stayed there."
The Ministry of Defense said: "We can confirm that Ashchurch Detachment, 721 EOD Squadron, 11 RLC EOD&S, responded to a request from Dyfed Powys Police on 30 November 2023 in relation to a suspected explosive device."
"The EOD team examined the item and determined it to be a 64-pound naval shell that had been removed from the scene for subsequent detonation."
