A historic World War Two bomb in Plymouth was successfully detonated after evacuating over 1,200 homes. The controlled explosion occurred on May 1, 2026, following the discovery of a 250kg German SC250 air-dropped weapon on a building site.
As of early Tuesday, around 1,260 households were evacuated within a 400-metre cordon. An evacuation centre was established at the Southway Youth and Community Centre to assist displaced residents.
The bomb was deemed too unstable to move. Bomb disposal teams opted for a controlled explosion instead. They placed 450 tonnes of sand around the device to mitigate the blast’s impact.
Three local schools closed during the operation. Residents were advised to leave windows open and turn off water before the detonation.
Officials reported that smoke was visible in the area after the explosion. Debris resulted from the controlled detonation, and the cordon remains in place as authorities assess any damage.
Councillor Sally Haydon expressed gratitude to the bomb disposal teams for their efforts. She stated, “Our heartfelt thanks go to the brave Army and Royal Navy unexploded ordnance specialists who have worked tirelessly over recent days.”
An unnamed resident described the event: “There was a big, big bang; you couldn’t miss this one.” Colonel Nick Handy warned that there would likely be damage when the bomb went off.
The operation began at approximately 8:15 AM today according to Plymouth City Council. The successful detonation marks a significant step in addressing unexploded ordnance from World War Two in the area.
