close
Wednesday November 13, 2024

WW II unexploded bomb found in Plymouth rushes English military to dispose it

Plymouth residents have been instructed to leave homes between 2:00pm, 5:00pm today afternoon

By Web Desk
February 23, 2024
An image of the World War II unexploded bomb. — FPS Images/File
An image of the World War II unexploded bomb. — FPS Images/File

An unexploded bomb from World War II discovered on a Plymouth property will be taken out and brought via military convoy across the city to be disposed of at sea.

Devon City residents who live within 300 metres of the convoy path are instructed to leave their homes between 2:00pm and 5:00pm today afternoon, according to Sky News.

Despite warnings to homeowners that their houses would be "destroyed" if the device exploded, photos taken at the location of its excavation reveal the size of the explosive.

To keep the public safe, a 300-metre exclusion zone is being maintained, meaning that about 3,000 individuals are still not in their homes.

Experts in bomb disposal claim that although ruled out, a controlled explosion was contemplated.

The "safest and least impactful option" is to "remove the device from St Michael Avenue and travel to the Torpoint Ferry slipway - for the bomb to be disposed of at sea (beyond the Breakwater)".

Plymouth City Council added: "Highly trained bomb disposal experts will carefully remove the device from the property and it will be transported by road in a military convoy, west along Parkside and Royal Navy Avenue, joining at the junction on Saltash Road to continue south joining Albert Road, turning right along Park Avenue and heading down Ferry Road to the Torpoint Ferry terminal."

Superintendent Phil Williams of Devon and Cornwall Police estimated that the convoy would need roughly twenty minutes to go from the city to the sea during a press conference this afternoon.

The sound of the government's alert system alerting nearby mobile phones cut off Supt Williams in the middle of his update.