Second World War bomb detonated in Plymouth after thousands evacuated
Plymouth City Council confirmed the controlled detonation and subsequent safety inspections were complete and said the cordon would be lifted
People living near the site of an unexploded Second World War bomb can return home after it was detonated in situ, officials have confirmed.
Listen to this article
More than 1,000 homes were evacuated as a precaution following the discovery at a building site in Flamborough Road, Southway, Plymouth, on Wednesday.
A 400-metre cordon was put in place and military experts concluded the device was too unstable to be moved.
On Friday afternoon, Plymouth City Council confirmed the controlled detonation and subsequent safety inspections were complete and said the cordon would be lifted.
The authority confirmed no significant damage has been identified in the surrounding area, including nearby buildings.
Councillor Sally Haydon, cabinet member for community safety at Plymouth City Council, said: “We know this has been a deeply distressing and inconvenient time for local residents and businesses, and we want to sincerely thank everyone for their patience, cooperation and understanding throughout this incident.
“Our heartfelt thanks go to the brave Army and Royal Navy unexploded ordnance specialists who have worked tirelessly over recent days.
“They quite literally put their lives on the line and it is thanks to their exceptional expertise, professionalism and care that this operation was brought to a safe conclusion.”
A small number of temporary road closures will remain in place immediately around the site while highways and cleansing teams carry out clean-up work, the council said.
There will also be restrictions around the building site itself, where the device was located, while the site continues to be made fully secure.
There were more than 50 Luftwaffe air raids on Plymouth between 1941 and 1944, killing 1,174 civilians in the city.
The first bombs fell on the city on July 6 1940, with the heaviest period of bombing occurring in March and April 1941.
Two years ago a 500kg German Second World War bomb was found in a garden in the Keyham area of Plymouth.
It forced the evacuation of thousands of people and was detonated at sea.