More than 1,000 homes in Plymouth have been evacuated after an unexploded Second World War bomb was discovered at a building site in Flamborough Road, Southway. The device, a 250kg German SC250, will be detonated in situ after military experts concluded it cannot be safely moved.
A 400-metre cordon remains in place, and residents will not be able to return home until the device has been made safe. The Royal Navy and Army unexploded ordnance specialists have advised that the only safe option is a controlled detonation, planned for Friday once all safety measures are in place.
The council said specialists are building a “sand mitigation structure” to reduce the impact of the blast. Colonel Nick Handy from 8 Engineer Brigade explained that the condition of the fuses made it impossible to move the bomb safely. He noted that the device contains 130kg of explosives and that while mitigation measures will limit damage, some localised damage is expected.
Southway Youth and Community Centre has been opened for evacuated residents, with over 50 people helped and 25 households placed in temporary accommodation. Oakwood Primary School, Little Acorns Pre-School, and Beechwood Primary School will remain closed on Friday.
Plymouth experienced more than 50 Luftwaffe air raids between 1941 and 1944, killing 1,174 civilians. Two years ago, a 500kg German bomb was found in the Keyham area, leading to a similar evacuation and controlled detonation.
