ARCHAEOLOGY enthusiasts say new mapping and scanning technology has led them to evidence of a Second World War bomb crater in the hills above Largs.
The Inverclyde Time Teamers, Stephen McAllister and Allan Kinniburgh, were alerted by local historian Ian McIntosh to the potential of craters being left on the moor near Gogo Water by German parachute mines.
They were pointed towards the evidence while carrying out research into a previously unrecorded prehistoric hut circle on the moors, dating from between 1200BC and 500AD, on the moors.
Stephen believes that Lidar technology, which uses laser scans taken from the air to create 3D models and map digital elevation, shows remnants of a bomb crater dating from the Second World War.
He says the bomb could have had "drastic consequences" if it had landed in, or closer to, Largs.
Stephen said: "We were aware of at least one possible bomb or mine crater in the area before we headed up there, but ran out of time to check it out.
"On the Historic Environment Scotland Canmore archive there is an entry for a possible crater a wee bit north east of Black Linn.
"Current OS maps show a small body of water at the location, and craters do quite often fill with water and present themselves as perfectly circular ponds.
"This site has been visited twice, looking at the Canmore file, in 2013 and 2015.
"The more recent entry from a Historic Environment Scotland representative suggests this does does indeed look like some sort of bomb crater."
Stephen supplied a screenshot of the Lidar image for the same spot which, he believes, adds weight to the theory.
"If dropped by a German bomber," he said, "then the crew were a bit off target, because they were five miles west of Greenock.
"But what would be a reasonable margin for error after several hundred miles, with local cross winds and fickle visibility to contend with?
"This could well have been a Luftwaffe crew ditching ordnance and cutting for home, knowing they were off target and running out of time and fuel to get back home."
Stephen told the News that the bomb could well have led to a loss of life if it had fallen closer to Largs.
"There are photos of a single bomb taking out a few houses in Greenock," he continued.
"In a town like Largs, there would have been loss of life and casualties, and a few structures taken out if it had it landed in the town.
"The crater is 20 feet across. It would probably be possible to put a metal detector over the area and it would pick up pings from the bomb casing shards.
"We have found bomb casing in the past at Loch Thom. The explosive power would have been substantial, and also taken out windows of nearby farms."
Stephen said the remote location and the difficult terrain made the location of the suspected crater a challenging one to reach, though he expressed hopes that on a future visit they will be able to locate it and carry out additional research.
He commented: "It is a strange thing, when you are up there and you hear birds chirping and the sound of the wind blowing against the trees, to think that the back hills from Largs to Greenock were literally getting pounded by explosives during the Second World War."
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