- Written by Chloe Parkman & Chris Ellis
- BBC news
WATCH: World War II Plymouth bomb taken from garden to sea
A 500kg (1,102lb) German bomb that forced the evacuation of thousands of people in Plymouth during World War II exploded at sea.
An unexploded device was discovered in a St Michael Street garden on Tuesday, sparking four days of chaos.
On Friday, police blocked roads and suspended train and bus service as the bomb was transported 1.4 miles (2.3 kilometers) through city streets.
The device was carried by boat over the breakwater and exploded at 21:51 Japan time.
A temporary 300-metre (984-foot) cordon was set up on Friday afternoon to allow experts to transport the bomb in a military convoy from the city's Keyham area to the Torpoint ferry airstrip.
Plymouth City Council announced that 10,320 people and 4,300 properties were placed under the cordon.
Local residents were asked to leave their homes for approximately three hours from 2pm GMT as a safety measure.
Many roads were closed and train and bus services were suspended as bombs were transported through the city.
The cordon was lifted just after 5:30 p.m.
The device was discovered in the backyard
Resident Vicky Brotherton said it had been a “very worrying time for us” but she was “very relieved” to be able to go home after spending the past four days in a caravan in Cornwall. .
“I would like to sincerely thank everyone involved in bringing this to a safe end. I have been truly impressed by His Majesty's Armed Forces.”
Resident Janet Sentongo said she was glad the bomb had been moved.
“Every morning, I would check my phone while I was at work,” she said. “I'm starting to worry.”
image source, Matt Keeble/PA Wire
Police and bomb disposal experts at the scene near St. Michael Avenue in Plymouth.
Keyham resident Christine Jolly, who lives in St Aubyn Avenue, said the past few days had been “very stressful”.
“It was terrible. We were the first to leave the house on Tuesday morning and didn't take anything with us.
“I was allowed to go and get my husband's tablet in the evening, but that was really it.”
Plymouth City Council leader Tudor Evans thanked everyone involved in removing the bomb.
He said it brought a “belligerent spirit” to the city.
“I think it's no exaggeration to say that the last few days have been historic for Plymouth,” Evans said.
“This wartime bombshell really brought out the wartime spirit and people really came together to support each other and it was really tough, but we got through it.”
The council said the Life Center Leisure Center was being used as an emergency rest center for people being evacuated.
“Courage and fortitude”
Defense Secretary Grant Shapps praised the “courage and fortitude” of those involved in the “very complex operation” and the “patience and co-operation” of the public.
“I would like to thank all of our employees who have worked day and night this week to keep the public safe and minimize the risk of harm,” he said in a statement Friday.
“The success of this operation is a testament to the level of skill and expertise across our military, and the courage and fortitude of our members who faced high-risk situations and worked under extreme pressure.”
The Defense Ministry said about 30 of the military's most experienced bomb disposal experts worked around the clock starting Tuesday to assess the condition of the bomb.
Staff at The Box, a cultural space and museum in the city, believe the explosives fell on one of the heaviest nights of bombing in World War II.
Using a wartime “bomb map”, the museum determined that the bomb was dropped on April 22 or 23, 1941. According to the museum, approximately 1,362 bombs were detonated in the city during the war.
