Family find huge cache of firearms in London river while paddling

A family were shocked when their afternoon paddle in a London river led them to find a huge cache of dumped firearms in the water. 

James White, 15, was out fishing for the day with family friends at the river walk in Catford yesterday when they decided to take a swim due to the hot weather. 

James slipped on something in the water, which turned out to be a magazine from a gun. 

He told MyLondon he wished it was ‘a bad dream’ but then found a cone shape in the water and worried it was an explosive. 

They began to search around in the water, finding around 11 guns – including a revolver and an Uzi submachine gun – as well as bullet magazines and ammunition.   

A family found a huge cache of weapons (pictured) while paddling by the river walk in Catford yesterday afternoon

James White, 15, who found the weapons while on a fishing trip with family friends, said he wished it was a ‘bad dream’ and was worried he’d found explosives

Ryan Ball, 32, said: ‘We were at river view walk where we regularly go with our children, and my sons were playing with a 15-year-old boy, James, when he slipped on which appeared to be a magazine from a gun.

‘He then started to search around in the water, and then one after the other he started to pull out everything you can see in the pictures.’  

‘I then contacted the police, who came and retrieved the weapons and will be sweeping the river for any more.’ 

The river view walk is a riverside park with a popular walking and cycle route running between Catford and Beckenham in south-east London. 

The family found around 11 guns – including a revolver and an Uzi submachine gun – as well as bullet magazines and ammunition in the Pool River in Catford (pictured)

Police were called to the river at 4.40pm yesterday to reports of firearms in the river.  

Emelie Wight, James’s sister, posted on Facebook: ‘Be careful letting your kids play in the River View walk behind Sainsbury’s in Catford.

‘My brother was over there with a friend and his kid and my brother fell on something and pulled out a gun and found many more.   

James’s sister posted on Facebook warning people to be careful while swimming in the river

‘Police were informed and they are going to sweep the river.   

‘Please be aware when letting your children play in the river.’ 

Callum Jones, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police, said: ‘Police were called to Winsford Road, SE6, at 4.40pm on Saturday, August 6 to reports of firearms found in a river. Officers attended.

‘A firearm and ammunition were recovered and removed from the scene.’