Plymouth WW2 bomb: Device is now in sea, police say

Summary

An unexploded WW2 bomb that was found in a garden in Plymouth has been safely transferred to the sea, Devon and Cornwall Police say
The device was moved by military convoy from the Keyham area of the city to the Torpoint Ferry slipway, from where it has been taken to sea for detonation
A 300m cordon set up around the disposal route has been lifted and thousands of people who were evacuated have been told they can return to their homes
More than 10,300 people and some 4,300 properties fell within the area that was cordoned off by police
The Ministry of Defence has described it as one of the largest UK peacetime evacuations since WW2
Police were called on Tuesday to the discovery of the bomb in a garden in St Michael Avenue
The area was heavily bombed during the war in an attempt to damage nearby naval facilities

Live Reporting

Edited by Kate Marshall and Chris Ellis

Ferry service to be reduced while bomb movedpublished at 12:44 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
George Thorpe
BBC South West
Tamar Crossings has confirmed the Torpoint Ferry will be reduced to a two ferry service every 15 minutes.
As part of the operation to move the World War Two bomb out to sea, the device will be taken to the Torpoint Ferry slipway.
Tamar Crossing said: "Due to an emergency services incident we are reducing to a two ferry service every 15 minutes.
"Updates will follow as they become available.
"Apologies for any inconvenience.
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'Element of risk' to removal operationpublished at 12:39 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Georgina Barnes
BBC News
There will be an "element of risk" to the removal operation, police have said.
Supt Phil Williams from Devon and Cornwall Police, said : "There's obviously an element of risk, it's been assessed by the army who have deemed this is the lowest risk."
The undetonated bomb will be taken beyond the breakwater to be disposed of.
Mr Williams said no-one would be "forced to leave" their homes, but advised to not be home between 14:00 and 17:00 GMT.
"All we can do is urge them to, and offer them the best possible advice that we can," he said.
"We'd rather err on the side of caution, obviously."
Children collected from schools within new cordonpublished at 12:34 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Brodie Owen
BBC South West
Parents at College Road Primary School in Keyham have been told to collect their children.
The school is within the new cordon announced by police.
Samantha Nile, a parent at the school, said: “I’d rather make sure my son is safe and out of the area.
“It is what it is, as long as everyone is safe and out of the way that’s fine."
She said her home was within the new cordon and she had been told to leave.
“It’s been a bit bizarre but I suppose that’s what you get in an area that is surrounded by the Dockyard,” she added.
Date bomb was dropped worked outpublished at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Bombing maps at The Box show where German bombs were dropped in Plymouth during World War Two.
Stacey Anderson, media archivist at The Box - a free visitor attraction in the city, said it was believed the bomb found in Keyham fell on 22 or 23 April, 1941.
This means it was dropped during one of the most intensive bombing raids. On 22 April the city suffered its greatest loss of civilian life when the Portland Square air raid shelter was struck, leaving 76 people dead.
Changes to bus routespublished at 12:23 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
George Thorpe
BBC South West
Plymouth Citybus said its bus services around Keyham and Devonport will be affected when the emergency services move the bomb.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, the service provider said the 14, 21, 21A, 33, 34 and 70 buses will be diverted from 13:00 GMT.
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'Please leave home' - Plymouth councillorpublished at 12:21 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
George Thorpe
BBC South West
Sally Hayden, cabinet member for community safety, libraries, cemeteries and crematoria, said during a press conference that people in the area where the World War Two bomb will be transported should leave their homes.
She said they will be asked to leave from 13:30 GMT and not to go back until 17:00.
Bomb will be taken 'beyond breakwater'published at 12:18 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
George Thorpe
BBC South West
During a press conference, Supt Phil Williams from Devon and Cornwall Police said the World War Two bomb will be taken out to sea "beyond the Plymouth breakwater".
He said he did not know how much further past the landmark it would go, but knew it would be beyond that point.
Fire engines waiting to enter cordon areapublished at 12:10 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
A number of heavy fire engines are currently waiting to enter the police cordon.
The unexploded WW2 bomb found in Plymouth is set to be disposed of at sea, Plymouth City Council has confirmed.
A new cordon is set to be temporarily introduced so the device can be removed.
Watch the news conference livepublished at 12:06 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
We're about to hear from Supt Phil Williams of Devon and Cornwall Police and Cllr Sally Haydon of Plymouth City Council.
Watch the news conference live by clicking the 'play' button at the top of this page.
Past few days 'very stressful' for residentpublished at 12:05 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Brodie Owen
BBC South West
A woman who lives near the undetonated bomb has said police said she needed to be out of her home quickly.
Christine Jolley, who lives on St Aubyn Avenue, said she was returning home to collect supplies.
She said: “The policewomen [at the cordon] can’t tell you anything.
“All she said was we had to be out by 11 o’clock, she said we had to be quick.”
Ms Jolley said the past few days had been “very stressful”.
She said: “It’s been terrible - we were one of the first ones out Tuesday morning and we just left the house, we didn’t bring anything with us.
“We’re allowed back in the evening to get my husbands tablets and that’s it really.”
Bus route diversionspublished at 11:58 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
George Thorpe
BBC South West
In a series of tweets, Plymouth Citybus has given further details of the diversion routes from 13:00 GMT.
It said: "Due to the police activity and bomb being transported the following service #PCB33, external will be going to the bottom of Ford hill turning right on to St Levans Rd, to Bartholomew Rd up to Milehouse Rd along to Molesworth road back on to normal route.
"Due to the police activity and bomb being transported the following service #PCB21, external #PCB21A, external from 13:00 will be diverted via Fore St, Devonport Rd, Stoke Village, Milehouse Rd, turning left on Wolseley Rd continuing on to St Budeaux on normal route.
"Due to the police activity and bomb being transported the following service #PCB14, external from 13:00 will be diverted via Fore St, Devonport Rd, Stoke Village, Milehouse Rd, turning left on Wolseley Rd, turning right onto Beacon Park Rd back onto normal route."
Roads in temporary cordon to close from 13:30published at 11:51 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Georgina Barnes
BBC News
The route and exclusion zone have been shared by Plymouth City Council.
It said roads would be closed from 13:30 GMT ahead of the removal of the bomb at 14:00.
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Roads in the zone include Royal Navy Avenue, Saltash Road, Albert Road, Park Avenue and Ferry Road.
Plymouth bomb latest: What we knowpublished at 11:47 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Georgina Barnes
BBC South West
These are the latest things we know on the Plymouth bomb incident:
- The undetonated bomb is set to be moved by military convoy from Keyham to the Torpoint Ferry slipway
- A new temporary cordon of 300m (984ft) will be in place for public safety whilst the device is moved
- Residents living within the cordon have been asked to leave their homes from 14:00 GMT for about three hours - people are expected to be allowed back home from about 17:00
- Railway, ferry and bus services will be stopped as the bomb is moved
- The Life Centre will remain open to support those with nowhere to go
Public transport impacted by bomb movementpublished at 11:37 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
George Thorpe
BBC South West
Along with a number of road closures, a railway line will also be closed while the World War Two bomb is transported through the city and then moved out to sea.
Ferry and bus services will also be stopped while the operation is carried out.
Plymouth City Council said: "In addition, the main train line will be closed, ferries - including the Torpoint Ferry - will be suspended and buses will be diverted.
"Once the operation is complete, the police will begin to reopen the roads."
Bomb to be transported along multiple city roadspublished at 11:33 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Chris Ellis
BBC South West
Trained bomb disposal experts will carefully remove the device from the property and it will be transported by road in a military convoy, Plymouth City Council said.
It will travel 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 travelling down Ferry Road to the Torpoint Ferry terminal.
The bomb will be disposed of at sea, beyond the breakwater.
Cordon to change temporarily to remove bombpublished at 11:28 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Georgina Barnes
BBC News
The cordon is set to be changed temporarily to 300m (984ft) so the unexploded WW2 bomb can be removed.
Plymouth City Council is asking residents in the area to leave their homes for about three hours from 14:00 GMT.
"We anticipate you will be able to return by 5pm," it said.
Bomb incident 'very complex situation'published at 11:25 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
George Thorpe
BBC South West
Plymouth City Council said in an update just after 11:00 GMT that several factors, including public safety, have been considered in the decision to move the bomb.
"Over the past few days, bomb disposal experts from the Army and Navy have been assessing the device to determine with partners the best possible approach for its disposal," the council said.
"It is a very complex situation, and a number of factors need to be considered by the members of the resilience forum, alongside the overriding objective of people’s safety, including damage to property and impact on underground utilities."
Image source, PA Media
Bomb will be 'disposed of' todaypublished at 11:21 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Georgina Barnes
BBC News
The unexploded WW2 bomb found in Plymouth is set to be disposed of at sea, Plymouth City Council has confirmed.
It said following more information about the device, teams have agreed the safest "and least impactful option is to remove the device from St Michael Avenue and travel to the Torpoint Ferry slipway where the bomb will be disposed of beyond the breakwater.
Bomb being moved out to sea for detonationpublished at 11:12 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Breaking
George Thorpe
BBC South West
Details of what is going to happen to the World War Two bomb found in Keyham have been confirmed.
A post from Plymouth Highways on X, external, formerly Twitter, said the bomb will be moved out to sea to be detonated at 14:00 GMT and a number of roads along the route will be closed.
The post said: "The device in Keyham will now be moved out to sea to detonate.
"This will take place from 2pm through Royal Navy Ave, Saltash Rd, Albert Rd, Park Ave and Ferry Rd.
"From 1.30pm today all roads along the route & leading to the route will be closed until the device is safely removed."
Council leader praises response to bomb discoverypublished at 11:01 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February
Plymouth City Council's leader Tudor Evans said everyone involved in the response to the World War Two bomb's discovery in Keyham has been "extraordinary".
He posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the incident has brought out the "best" in Plymouth.
Mr Evans said: "Extraordinary work by our @plymouthcc, external staff throughout the night, supporting residents and planning for today. Public service at its very best.
"They're invested. They feel it. They are friends and neighbours too."