Shrapnel found wedged in Tiger tank after 80 years

The lump of metal was found in a wheel of the German tank during work to keep it in running order

A chunk of shrapnel left wedged in the world's only running World War Two Tiger I tank for more than 80 years has been plucked from one of its wheels.

The lump of metal was found in the German Tiger 131, during a routine inspection by engineers at The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset.

The museum said the shrapnel was likely to be from tank shots or artillery fire before the tank was captured in Tunisia in 1943.

It was the first German Tiger tank to be captured intact. It was found abandoned after a shot became wedged in the turret putting its gun out of action.

Engineers at the tank museum discovered a chunk of shrapnel inside one of the tank's wheels during a routine inspection

When Tiger 131 was recovered it was found to be relatively undamaged – apart from the shot in the turret mechanism.

Nick Booth, Head of Curatorial Services at the museum said: "Tiger 131 has been extensively restored and overhauled in recent years, so to find a remnant from the battle in which it was captured is both remarkable and sobering.

"It's a stark reminder of the history of this tank – and of the desperate conditions in which British soldiers fought it to a standstill on a Tunisian hillside in 1943."

The shrapnel in the much-studied museum piece was found during a routine inspection by engineers preparing the tank to run at its bi-annual Tiger Day on 20 September.

The tank starred in the Brad Pitt film Fury along with the museum's Sherman M4E8.