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WWII Bombs in Devon Safely Detonated After Overnight Evacuations

Military bomb-disposal teams concluded multi-day operations that displaced thousands across Exmouth, Plymouth.

Overview

  • Royal Navy teams removed the Plymouth device by convoy to King Point Marina and carried out a controlled sea detonation, with the council lifting cordons before 3am.
  • Police said the Exmouth bomb was later detonated on the seabed after a safety zone was expanded to 600 metres, displacing residents from about 2,000 properties.
  • East Devon District Council estimated roughly 5,000 people were evacuated in Exmouth, with an assembly point at LED Leisure Centre providing temporary shelter.
  • About 800 Plymouth residents left their homes overnight along a 150-metre convoy route, as Millbay Academy and the Moxy Hotel closed during the operation.
  • Authorities earlier paused work to await specialist X-ray equipment and daylight, reflecting standard explosive-ordnance protocols for WWII finds.