THREE Cardigan schoolboys came across a 400-year-old surprise when they were beachcombing at Patch, near Cardigan.

Iestyn Evans, 13, George Monders, 13 and Taylor Harries, 13, classmates at Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, found a cannonball dating back to the Civil War.

“We saw this big round lump covered in barnacles, we thought ‘this looks cool’ broke it apart and this cannonball rolled out,” said George.

The youngsters brought their find into Cardigan Castle – which houses its own cannonball relic.

Facilities officer Sue Lewis said: “The castle was pounded with cannonfire by Cromwell’s troops in the Civil War. Many of the cannonballs ended up in the river so I wouldn’t be surprised if the boys’ find was one that took centuries to migrate down the riverbed.”

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