Residents in Plymouth have been told they can return to their homes after specialists disarmed a World War Two bomb
More than 1,200 homes had been evacuated, with a loud explosion heard as the 250kg bomb was made safe - watch the moment
The blast "could have been a lot bigger" and "was probably only a third of the explosive in that item of ordnance", an Army specialist says
A local veteran, who had just returned from holiday, says: "Within like 30 seconds of me shutting my door, there was a big loud explosion... it's been quite triggering"
Listen to BBC Radio Devon for the latest, and tune in to BBC Spotlight at 18:30 for more coverage
Are you one of the residents who had to evacuate your home, do you work in a nearby business or school?
Did you hear the big bang as the bomb was detonated?
Get in touch and let us know how you were or still are affected.
We're interested in hearing your experiences - you can get in contact via this webpage.
Zhara Simpson
BBC South West
The council says Southway Youth and Community Centre will remain open until 15:30, with staff on hand incase people need help and support returning to their homes.
Over the past hour, utility companies and council officers have been on site assessing any damage caused by the controlled detonation, it said.
The authority thanked everyone who was affected for their patience and understanding over the past couple of days.
Zhara Simpson
BBC South West
Col Nick Handy says the two loud thuds heard this morning were the bomb disposal specialists using shift charges to access the side of the ordnance.
Col Handy says they were trying to burn the explosives, and they achieved it.
He says: "The bomb is quite thick, it’s 40mm thick. If we put a big charge straight next to it, we’re just going to put a high charge into the explosives and there’s going to be 130g of explosion and there’s going to be damage.
“We said to you yesterday we didn’t want another Exeter and we wanted to ensure it caused the least damage and we did that today successfully."
A controlled detonation on site in Exeter in 2021 left several buildings damaged.
Jenny Kumah
BBC South West England Correspondent
Multiple camera angles show the moment the World War Two bomb detonated in Southway.
Zhara Simpson
BBC South West
British Army officer and explosive ordnance disposal specialist Col Nick Handy says the explosion today was caused by only a third of the explosives in the bomb.
He says in a press briefing: "It could have been a lot bigger.
"The blast you saw was probably only a third of the explosive in that item of ordnance.
“We set out yesterday to deflagrate that item in order to limit the blast affects and we achieved that successfully today."
Devon and Cornwall Police says residents are now free to return home as the cordon has been lifted.
Zhara Simpson
BBC South West
Authorities are starting to lift the 400m cordon where properties had been evacuated.
Plymouth City Council says following the completion of safety inspections, the only remaining restrictions will be around the building site itself, near Flamborough Road, where the device was found.
It says a small number of temporary road closures remain in place immediately around the site while highways and cleansing teams carry out clean-up work.
The council says: "The cordons will be physically adjusted over the next hour and we ask for patience while staff complete this work safely."
Zhara Simpson
BBC South West
Southway residents and businesses are being asked for patience to allow "vital safety checks" and damage assessments to be carried out.
The council says there was debris caused by the controlled detonation and thorough safety inspections are now required before people return to their homes, and so the 400m cordon remains in place.
Jenny Kumah
BBC South West England Correspondent
A convoy of big vehicles, including one that looked like a digger, have left the cordon area. There were teams of people in military uniform inside the passenger cabs.
The detonation happened this morning at 11:15 BST.
Plymouth City Council says the device has been made safe but the cordon hasn’t been lifted yet as safety inspections and damage assessments are being carried out.
The military, Devon and Cornwall Police and Plymouth City Council are scheduled to hold a press call at 14:00.
Zhara Simpson
BBC South West
Plymouth City Council says after assessing the device and determining that it was too unstable to move, specialists worked tirelessly to put "extensive mitigation measures in place to manage the risk and allow them to safely carry out their operation".
"This included carefully surrounding the device with hundreds of tonnes of sand and installing protective structures around nearby buildings.
"The experts were hopeful that the operation could be completed without triggering an explosion. However, due to the historic nature of the device and its complex two‑fuse design, this was not possible."
The council says whilst the device itself was now safe, it was essential safety inspections were completed before the cordon can be lifted and residents return to their homes.
"For example, cleaning up and inspecting local buildings," the council adds.
Residents from more than 1,200 properties were evacuated from within a 400m (1,300ft) cordon after the World War Two bomb was discovered on Wednesday afternoon, but what is next for them?
Officials from the military, Devon and Cornwall Police and Plymouth City Council will hold a press call at Crownhill Police Station at 14:00 BST.
Zhara Simpson
BBC South West
One resident who lives in Southway and went to stay at her parent's house with her son when they were evacuated, says this is the second time she has been evacuated for a WW2 bomb in Plymouth.
The first time was in 2024 when a 500kg bomb was found in Keyham, near where she was working.
Claire Hearl says: "When I was evacuated from the shop with the Keyham bomb, I didn't quite feel the enormity of the situation because that wasn't my home. But this time it was my home, it did hit a bit differently.
"I do hope I can get back because I have a rugby match in London to play and I need my clothes."
She says the last 48 hours have been a "little bit crazy" and she feels a sense of "relief" now the bomb has been dealt with.
Angela Kalwaites
BBC Radio Devon
There was a big, unmistakable bang and I leapt about a foot in the air.
We were right by the cordon when it happened and it was one of those things that really made you jump.
Lots of people came out of their houses in the area near Oakwood Primary School to have a look.
One lady said she had been drinking her cup of coffee when the bang happened and she ended up spilling it everywhere.
There's a lot of curiosity because they didn't know if it was going to happen like that, or at what time.
The police say they're not going to remove the cordon yet and it may be this afternoon before they allow residents to go back into their homes.
Jenny Kumah
BBC South West England Correspondent
Andrei and his partner, along with their two dogs, have been parked up near the cordon edge in their van. They have been staying in the vehicle since Wednesday when they got a knock on the door asking them to leave their home near where the device was found.
Andrei says: “We can’t get home so we park somewhere just for the day enjoy the day and spend the night - it’s not bad, it’s a little holiday” Andrei says he’s not too worried about any potential impact on his home.
"They are doing a good job. They put a lot of sand around so the impact is probably not going to be much.”
Zhara Simpson
BBC South West
Watch the moment the WW2 bomb in Southway was detonated by bomb disposal teams
Georgina Barnes
BBC South West
A local councillor says the incident has been a "deeply distressing and inconvenient time" for residents and businesses in the Southway area.
Councillor Sally Haydon, cabinet member for community safety at Plymouth City Council, says everyone's safety "was, and always will be, our absolute priority".
She says: “We understand that residents and businesses will be anxious to return and we ask for patience while these vital checks take place.
"Our evacuation centre at Southway Youth and Community Centre remains open for anyone who has been displaced, and we are working to provide further updates in the next few hours."
Smoke was seen shortly after 11:15 BST
Zhara Simpson
BBC South West
The view from a nearby farm as the 250kg German SC250 WW2 device was detonated at 11:15 BST. The bomb was found on a building site on Flamborough Road in Southway on Wednesday.
Jenny Kumah
BBC South West England Correspondent
Jamie George is a veteran who lives on the edge of the cordon and was in his bathroom when the big detonation happened at about 11:15 BST.
He has returned from holiday this morning and the first he knew about the bomb was when he got home.
He says: “All of a sudden within like 30 seconds of me shutting my door, there was a big loud explosion.
"I just came outside and it’s just full of smoke everywhere and it’s been quite triggering. The first thing I’ve done was dive to the floor to take cover."
He adds: “I was 10 years in the army and served in Iraq and Northern Ireland. It’s just traumatic and triggered some memories.”
Georgina Barnes
BBC South West
Plymouth City Council says experts had been hopeful the operation could have been done without triggering an explosion - but due to the historic nature of the device and its two-fuse design, "this was not possible".
The bomb was "successfully rendered safe" by Royal Navy and Army unexploded ordnance specialists just after 11:15 BST.
Because of debris caused by the detonation, it says "thorough safety inspections" will now begin before people can come back into the 400m cordon.
It added specialists had worked "tirelessly over the past 12 hours" to manage the risks and allow them to carry out their operations.
This included surrounding the device with hundreds of tonnes of sand and protective structures to nearby buildings.
