‘It’s not all guns and bombs’: Meet the magnetic fishing enthusiasts hunting for hidden treasure

The 38-year-old said there is a lot more than abandoned explosives lurking at the bottom of Yorkshire’s murky waterways and most of their magnet fishing trips do not end with a visit from bomb disposal specialists and the police.

“It’s not all guns and bombs,” she said. “Mostly it’s sheer crap. We find railroad tracks, rebars, bolts and shopping trolleys. Things like that.”

Ms Carter had isolated herself from the world, following an abusive relationship, but then stumbled upon a magnet fishing video on social media four years ago and decided to go out and give it a go.

She quickly became obsessed, set up a group called Yorkshire Magneteers and began encouraging other people to take up the unsual hobby.

“When I came out of an extremely abusive relationship, I locked myself in the house and I wouldn't go out,” she said.

“But now I'm going across the whole of the UK, meeting different people and getting out there. It’s helped me massively.

“It's amazing for everybody, even if you just want to sit and watch at these beautiful locations with some great company and have a laugh,” she said.

Magnet fishing groups are springing up around the UK, as a growing number of people are keen to find out what is hidden in the nation’s network of canals and rivers.

Most start out with a cheap magnet attached to a piece of rope, but then invest in powerful neodymium magnets, which can be used to pull hundreds of kilograms of weight, grappling hooks, gloves and thread-locking fluid so they can go after larger hauls.

Brian Woolhouse began fishing after retiring from his job as a print buyer, and he can now often be found on the banks of the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

“I needed something to get me out the house, as I don’t play football and cricket anymore because of a back problem,” he said. “It’s great exercise but it’s also therapeutic.”

He added: "I love the intrigue of finding something which could be historical or useful.”

The 65-year-old said he often finds “what fly tippers and burglars leave behind”, including guns, knives and a safe. He also recently hauled 24 shopping trolleys out of the River Aire in Leeds.

While magnet fishers are adamant they are helping to clean up the country’s rivers and canals by removing scrap metal which can then be sold, the Canal and River Trust wants them to stop.

The charity said it is dangerous as people can unearth live explosives and weapons, but they can also be dragged into the water.

Back in 2019, Martin Andrews, 43, and his 19-year-old son Jack, were found dead in a canal in Huddersfield after they got into trouble while magnet fishing.

Oli Barnes, founder of of the group One Man One Magnet, said he is well aware of the risks, but the hobby can also help people cope with mental health problems, by giving them an opportunity to relax and open up.

The 35-year-old year from Bradford took up magnet fishing last year after his stepsons showed him a video on Youtube and asked to try it out, and he now spends most Sundays hunting for treasure.

“It’s definitely addictive and you can lose track of time when you’re out there,” he said. “You throw your magnet in and think ‘I’ll just do one more’, but you always want to find out what else is down there.”