SuppliedA magnet fishing dad and his young son have discovered a haul of deadly weapons in Scottish waters.
Mark McGeachin, and his son James, discovered five machetes, a meat cleaver and butcher knives while out magnet fishing in Milton, Glasgow.
The duo was joined by other members of the Facebook group, Glasgow Magnet Fishing, when they came across the deadly blades.
The group frequently goes out to Scottish waters and uses giant magnets to pull items from the water.
SuppliedMr McGeachin founded the Facebook page in 2020 after coming across an American YouTuber who was using a magnet to pull items out of the water.
“The group really took off in lockdown, and now we have over 4,000 members from all over the world,” he told STV News.
“The group was great for lockdown as it helped get people outside and help their metal health.”
The group has become a favourite among Scottish families, with parents bringing their children along to fishing sessions.
“It’s great, it get the kids away from their Playstation and outside. James has made loads of friends in it too.
“Sometimes the kids don’t want to fish, but they’re able to still play outside, go to nearby parks or something,” he said.
However, his son James, nine, is very much interested in magnet fishing and even dredged up a samurai sword during one of the groups outings.
The group has found a number of weapons while fishing in Scottish waters, including four guns that were turned in to police in March.
Mr McGeachin, however, is particularly keen to uncover artefacts from moments in Scottish history.
“We’re going to start doing camping trips with the group, and we’re going to go all over Scotland to castles and we are going to look for Rob Roy’s sword and check out a pirate ship wreckage,” he told STV News.
The 42-year-old said he previously found an old rubber factory sign from the 1900s and cannonballs dating back to the 1800s, but said he would “love to find a proper part of history”.
SuppliedThe group also dredged up a stolen motorbike from the Forth and Clyde canal that Mr McGeachin said was worth around £10,000.
SuppliedThe group is heading back to Milton where they discovered the haul of deadly weapons, to finish tidying the area.
“There was so much stuff, too much to get out during one day, so we’re going back to clean it up,” Mr McGeachin said.
“That’s a big part of what we do, clean the environment, and the metal we pull gets sent to the scrap man and recycled.”
Mr McGeachin said the group has even been contacted by fishermen who are struggling with rubbish-filled waterways.
“Fishermen ask me to come along as some of the places they fish are filled with stuff and it breaks their gear,” he added.
He estimated that the group has pulled around 300-400 tonnes of metal out of Scottish waterways since starting.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
