Magnet fishers’ surprise at finding cannonball in Peterborough river

A group of people from the Fenland Magnet Fishing group on Facebook were fishing on the Embankment in Peterborough on Monday when they made their shock find.

While it is not unusual for the group to pull weapons from the river, the cannonball was a unique discovery.

David Orrell, who found it, said: “I was magnet fishing with Fenland Magnet Fishing. I didn’t have a clue what it was at first but after closer inspection it was either a cannonball or something else.

“I rang it into the police just to be on the safe side. It’s a shame I am unable to keep it but better to be safer than sorry.”

Layla Waters from the group said: “It has amazed me what we’ve pulled out along the embankment, including a zombie sword.

“But the cannonball was a first for any of our members. We’ve been to that exact same spot on many ,many occasions.

“The usual things we find are bikes and knives that we believe have fallen off boats. We even a body bag in the same spot.

“Our members have found over 25 scary looking knives in the fens in recent weeks.”