John Henderson
BBC Spotlight

It would be wrong to say the streets are empty, but the Keyham bomb cordon is clearly visible.

Take Renown Street - towards the bottom cars are parked outside terraced houses.

But further up to where the World War Two bomb was discovered in a back garden on Tuesday, it’s a different story.

A solitary white Audi sits in the cordon that was extended at 09:00 GMT to 309m (1,014ft) from the bomb site.

The area seems quiet save for the fairly constant coming and goings of emergency vehicles.

There is a large police presence with officers standing on street corners, behind blue and white tape.

Also visible are army personnel, coastguards, firefighters and members of Dartmoor search and rescue group, along with a bomb disposal lorry, a green military tractor and, ominously, bags of what looks like sand but could be cement.

Many people have left the area - I was struck by the woman carrying two bag bin liners presumably full of clothes, while a child wheeled a pink suitcase.

Others have decided to stay put and the police accept this: medical reasons, age, perhaps no where else to go.

Officers say they have explained the risks of staying home. Now all that’s left is to sit and wait.

Georgina Barnes
BBC Jersey

Bomb experts are at the home where a World War Two bomb was found on Tuesday.

Mike Sainsbury, bomb disposal expert, said they would be working on stabilising the fuse, "hopefully with the intention of moving the bomb".

He said the extended 309m (1,014ft) cordon was in place "to keep people away from the blast zone" in case of unexpected detonation.

He said: "There may be time to render the fuse safe and pull that out, but there's always a risk that it may detonate anyway at that point, so it's probably just a precaution and as I said I hope they're looking to actually move the item once it's made safe."

Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts from Igne said the unit may have "no choice but to demolish in-situ".

They said: “This will be of huge concern to residents because even if well contained, the blast could cause damage to properties.

“I so sincerely hope the device is stable enough to be moved away from the area and demolished safely away from people and properties.

"However, any device located in an urban setting has to be treated with kid gloves, and this is why the cordon has been extended, families have been evacuated and the Army are taking the time they need to plan for the worst case scenario to mitigate threat to life first and foremost.”

Brodie Owen
BBC South West

Steve Harper, who lives on Cambridge Road just outside the police cordon, said he wanted authorities to provide more information for residents with pets.

Mr Harper said he would have difficultly finding somewhere to stay that would cater for his three dogs.

“The council doesn’t want to know about the animals,” he said.

“What hotel takes animals?

“It would be nice if it [the council] had some idea, some advice.”

He said he would probably sleep in his car with his animals if the cordon was extended further.

“It’s not ideal in this weather,” he said.

On Wednesday the council advised evacuated residents to "please make arrangements for your pets to stay with friends and family".

George Thorpe
BBC South West

Police have attempted to reassure residents concerned about crime while their home inside the cordon is empty.

Emergency service crews asked people leaving their homes to leave doors and windows open, which has left some worried the area could become a target for crime.

Insp Paul Laity, neighbourhood inspector for Devonport and the west of the city, said officers were aware of everyone who was going in and out of the cordon.

"The cordon is tightly, tightly resourced and well-staffed and well-managed," Insp Laity said.

"I can certainly tell you this area is not a high crime area.

"I'm confident that we've got the cordon covered, no one is going in or out without our knowledge."

Georgina Barnes
BBC South West

Plymouth City Council says practical and mental health support is available for anyone who needs.

It said: "We are advising anyone evacuated within the cordon to go to the Life Centre.

"The Jan Cutting and Wolseley Building Wellbeing Hubs are open and can provide advice and support with practical issues and mental health."

The Beacon Centre remains open "as usual", but is no longer a rest centre for the evacuation.

Brodie Owen
BBC South West

A resident who lives across the road from the police cordon in Ford has said the ongoing incident has brought people together.

Phoebe Turnbull, of Alexandra Road, Ford, said: “There’s probably a bit more visibility and connection between the neighbours.

“I do think it’s brought the community together.

“People [normally] sort of keep to themselves.”

Image source, PA Media

One of the leading police officers inside Plymouth bomb cordon said there were some local residents still inside the cordon.

Insp Paul Laity, neighbourhood inspector for Devonport and the west of the city, said officers were not at this stage forcing people living inside the 309m (1,014ft) cordon zone to leave their properties.

He said emergency services were advising anyone who wanted to stay of the risks, but they could stay if they wished.

Insp Laity said: "There are a number of people who want to remain in their homes and we completely understand and sympathise with them.

"There are various reasons why they don't want to leave - it could be care needs etc - and we do our best to map that out so we know where they are, to know where they are and to accommodate any support services that they need along with our partners."

Insp Laity said he did not have an exact number for how many residents were still inside the cordon, but added the number was believed to be "minimal".

BBC Radio Devon

Image source, PA Media

The Anglican Bishop of Plymouth, James Grier, has commended the local community for coming together to support each other.

He said: "It is a very distressing time but there is support - it shows the amazing capacity within our country, with where there's a crisis, people step up.

"It's a community that has shown how people can rally and support one another and that nobody should be alone at this time."

The decision on what to do with a World War Two bomb found in Keyham has not been made yet, but could be made on Friday.

Insp Paul Laity, neighbourhood inspector for Devonport and the west of the city, told BBC Radio Devon the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team would make the final decision about what to do with the bomb.

He said the emergency services week still working to a plan of the 309m (1,014ft) cordon being up for at least 36 hours.

Insp Laity added: "Decisions are still being made by the EOD as to how they're going to deal with the incident and I guess that will be tomorrow at some point."

A woman has travelled from her home in the Prince Rock area of Plymouth to Keyham - 3.7 miles (6km) - to rescue her son and daughter-in-law's cat.

Teresa Cork has been looking after her grandchildren as her son Daniel and daughter-in-law Beth are currently away.

Daniel and Beth's property is affected by the extended cordon.

Mrs Cork described the area as "eerie", and "also quiet".

She said: “Today it is a bit more scary because there is a lot more people – a lot more official people.

“There are sandbags everywhere..."

Mrs Cork said her grandchildren were attending a local primary school in Keyham, which remained open.

She said "we are constantly looking at our phones to see if we have to pick them up as well".

“The police have been very good letting us in but today they said they would let us in but didn’t know when they would be able to again."

Support for those evacuated from Keyham is the priority, a councillor has said.

Councillor Sally Haydon, cabinet member for Community Safety, Libraries, Cemeteries and Crematoria, said the priority was "to make sure that people are looked after and are kept safe".

"My priority at the moment is to ask residents to leave their properties, and if they don't have family or friends where they can go and stay then please come to the Life Centre where we'll be able to give them all the support they need.

"If they do have questions, there is people on hand here that will be able to answer all those questions."

Members of the army, police and council are in Keyham either supporting those displaced, or working on ways to make the World War Two bomb safe.

The 309m (1,014ft) cordon has displaced an estimated 3,250 people, Plymouth City Council has said.

The explosive ordnance disposal and search regiment is on site, and sand bags have been brought in, in case they are needed.

Archie Farmer
BBC News

Image source, PA Media

Local historian, Chris Robinson, said the discovery of the bomb isn't unusual due to the amount of air raids in Plymouth during World War Two.

He said: "There were quite a few air raids in 1940 over the Keyham area and quite a lot of early devastation.

"There was one raid in 1943 when 70 or 80 bombs were dropped in Plymouth and only half of them exploded."

He added: "The phenomenon of unexploded bombs is by no means unusual, it's just late, over 80 years on, to be finding them."

Georgina Barnes
BBC South West

There is no current plan to extend the 309m (1,013ft) cordon, Plymouth City Council (PCC) says.

Bomb disposal experts are still assessing the device "to determine the best possible approach".

PCC says those affected by the cordon can only return home to collect urgent and essential items - including medication and pets.

Residents do not need to collect their car or switch off appliances or utilities, the council says.

More than 1,200 properties have been evacuated, PCC added.

Brodie Owen
BBC South West

A worker at a gambling shop near the cordon has said he has been asked to close by his managers.

Jordan Grimshaw, who works at Betfred on Henderson Place in Ford, said it had been “one mad rush” since the bomb was found.

Mr Grimshaw is also a resident inside the cordon.

"It’s been manic - loads of police everywhere, left, right and centre," he said.

"You don’t know what’s going to happen next."

Georgina Barnes
BBC South West

Image source, PA Media

NHS Devon has declared a critical incident status for health in the county.

It has been done "as a precautionary action so the system can mobilise and take the necessary steps in response to the unexploded bomb in Plymouth", it said.

The service says the critical incident had been put in place to manage "ongoing operational pressures", and to align its actions and planning with other local agencies.

Local resident Michael Wheeler and his partner were left with no choice but to pack up and find accommodation for themselves and their three dogs.

He said: "We're just going away for the weekend because they've put our house in the cordon overnight and we've just got three dogs with nowhere else to go.

"We've been left in limbo really, what are we meant to do? No hotels are going to take us."

John Henderson
BBC Spotlight

I've been escorted inside the cordon by the authorities and I am at Keyham Green Places.

In all honesty it doesn’t feel any different here at the moment.

It isn’t deserted – there are a lot of authorities and agencies around.

Most residents seem to have gone, but there are cars parked at the side of the road.

There are lots of police blue tape across the streets, with officers manning the ends of roads.

Some vehicles are trying to come through so they are being stopped and drivers questioned.

Residents I spoke to earlier were just saying it is one of those things. One couple who had three dogs said they were going to St Ives for the weekend.

I’ve spoken to some people who woke up and found their properties behind police tape which they hadn’t expected, but there are lots of officers around they can ask.

I'll have more from inside the cordon on BBC Spotlight's lunchtime news at 13:30 GMT on BBC One.

The council has said volunteers and donations are not currently needed.

"Thank you so much for those offers, but we have ample staff from the council and partners," Plymouth City Council said.

It said it would "update if the situation changes".

The Plymouth Life Centre, which is currently supporting displaced residents, remains closed to members and other customers.

Plymouth City Council said "unfortunately" it would remain closed, and further updates could be found on its website.

It said anyone needing temporary parking outside of the cordon could park at the Milehouse Park and Ride for the duration, with no parking tickets issued.