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Interesting Info About All Things Land Rover
Interesting Info About All Things Land Rover

Land Rover Wreckage Appears on Cornwall Beach

  • Dave Bobeck
  • Jul 21, 2017
Ran When Parked

An upside-down Land Rover has emerged on a Cornwall, UK beach. A number of UK news outlets have reported the story and shared some incredible photos. The Land Rover belonged to a local resident, who lost it on the beach 30 years ago.

The photos show the green, algae-covered wheels, axles, and chassis of the old Land Rover, eerily appearing from beneath the sand.

England’s large spring tides have shifted the sands in the area, exposing the wreckage.

Apparently, it has been seen before, though this is the first time so much of it has been visible, since the fateful day when owner Ronnie Hanney got the vehicle stuck in the same spot and watched it get swallowed by the sand.

That precise day of that occurrence, in fact, was January 13, 1990. Hanney took his family in the Series III 88” to get a close look at the water.

Land Rover buried at beach

His daughter, who was 16 years old at the time, says now,"It was one of the most embarrassing days of my life.”

"We had parked up down by the shoreline, but we were in soft sand and when we tried to move the back wheels just kept spinning.

"The tide had turned and we couldn't get out in time, so I ran back up to the slip to try to find someone to help while people started to gather on the headland to watch.

"Once the water reached the Land Rover we couldn't do anymore and we had to leave it.

"My dad went back with a spade the next day to dig it out, all that was sticking out of the sand was the chassis and four wheels."

Hanney tried to fetch a tractor to help pull it out, but it was obviously too late. He passed away in 2015, but according to Gina, he kept his sense of humor over it.

Magical Beach makes Land Rover

"In a way,” she added,  “it's nice that he has left a legacy that is now part of Hayle, as he loved it here. Although, obviously it's not so good for the environment."

We think the pictures are quite stunning, and you can be assured that if that happened here on this side of the pond, there is no way authorities would allow it to remain for 30 years. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse. Though it says something about a place where not only can something like that just be left alone, but everyone probably knows the story of it as well.

If anyone knows of any beaches in the US that can magically produce Land Rovers, please write.

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  • Written By
  • Dave Bobeck
  • OG Rover aficionado and believer in 5 replacement U-joints in-vehicle at all times. Rover club enthusiast and event crasher.
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