Summary

  • Unexploded WW2 device was found on Southtown Road, Great Yarmouth at 11:30 GMT on Tuesday

  • The device is surrounded by a bank of large sand bags as bomb disposal experts secure the site

  • Norfolk Police says it is in a hazardous location close to two main gas pipes

  • Hundreds of homes have been evacuated, with some residents spending a second night in a rest centre

  • Work to defuse the bomb could take many hours

Live Reporting

  1. No-fly zone in place over the site

    There is an official no-fly zone in place over the bomb site, extending out to much of the town, until at least 22:00 GMT.It extends from the surface to 2,000ft (610m).

    No-fly zone over Great YarmouthDrone Safety Map

    Authorities were expecting all the cordons in the area to remain in place until at least 11:00 GMT but as it is a developing picture - they are likely to be extended.

  2. Great Yarmouth unexploded bomb: Timeline of events

    This is what has happened so far after the device was found in Great Yarmouth.

    • The unexploded bomb - about 2ft (0.6m) long and weighing about 250kg (39st 5lbs) - was found on Southtown Road at about 11:30 GMT on Tuesday, by a contractor working on the third crossing over the River Yare
    • It is believed it was dredged out of the river and placed on the quay
    • Norfolk Police declare a major incident on Tuesday night after the "risk changed"
    • A 400m (1,312ft) exclusion zone is set up and people living and working within that are advised to leave
    • Road closures are put in place and rest centres are set up
    • On Wednesday, the cordon is split into two zones with a 200m inner cordon around Bollard Quay from which people are told to leave and noone is allowed to enter. Anyone living in the outer cordon (200-400m) is strongly advised to evacuate
    • About 400 tonnes of sand is transported to the site and bomb disposal experts prepare to cut into the bomb with a view to carrying out a controlled explosion on Thursday
    • On Thursday morning it is revealed specialists are rethinking their strategy after it is found that a blast could damage two mains gas pipes

  3. Great Yarmouth unexploded bomb: What we know so far

    Bomb site in Great YarmouthOliv3r Drone Photography

    The bomb disposal experts who were preparing to detonate the suspected unexploded World War Two device are currently rethinking their strategy.

    • The bomb was found on Southtown Road, Great Yarmouth, at about 11:30 GMT on Tuesday
    • Norfolk Police said a sand wall had been built around the device in Bollard Quay and on Wednesday evening, Army disposal specialists had been preparing to cut into the bomb
    • A controlled explosion was due to be carried out and if the first detonation was successful, the remainder of the device would be moved out to sea for another controlled explosion
    • However, when disposal specialists were doing their final calculations, they discovered two underground gas main pipes could be damaged in the blast
    • The Army's Explosion Ordnance Device (EOD) team are now reassessing the risk

  4. Good morning

    Katy Lewis
    BBC News Online

    Welcome to our live page to cover the events in Great Yarmouth, where an unexploded World War Two bomb was found on Tuesday.

    As hundreds of people are evacuated while experts work out a strategy for making it safe, we’re going to be bringing you live coverage of the developing story for the next few hours.

    Meanwhile - read about the latest on the situation here.