Thousands more residents are being evacuated today to allow a Nazi bomb to be transported across a city - so it can be dumped out at sea.

The World War Two explosive device is set to be removed from the garden where it was found and taken by military convoy to be disposed of in the water.

It was initially discovered on Wednesday morning in the Keyham area of Plymouth, Devon, and a 300-metre cordon has forced an estimated 3,250 people out of 1,219 properties.

A further 300 metre cordon is being established along the route the bomb is due to take as part of a military convoy this afternoon (Friday) forcing thousands more out of their homes.

Plymouth City Council said: "Over the past few days, bomb disposal experts from the Army and Navy have been assessing the device to determine with partners the best possible approach for its disposal. "

"It is a very complex situation, and a number of factors need to be considered by the members of the resilience forum, alongside the overriding objective of people’s safety, including damage to property and impact on underground utilities. "

"Following more information about the device and after considering all options, including a controlled detonation on site, partners have agreed that the safest and least impactful option is to remove the device from St Michael Avenue and travel to the Torpoint Ferry slipway – for the bomb to be disposed of at sea (beyond the Breakwater)."

The council said highly trained bomb disposal experts will carefully remove the device from the property and it will be transported by road in a military convoy, west along Parkside and Royal Navy Avenue, joining at the junction on Saltash Road to continue south joining Albert Road, turning right along Park Avenue and heading down Ferry Road to the Torpoint Ferry terminal.



The spokesperson added: "However, in order for this to happen, we need support from residents in the area along the route. "

"Anyone who lives within 300 metres of the route will need to leave their homes today for about three hours. "

"You will need to leave your home by 2pm and we anticipate you will be able to return by 5pm. If you need help or support to do this, please call 01752 668000." "

The rest centre at the Life Centre remains open to support people who do not have anywhere to go.

The council said after the expert assessment, it became "apparent that if a controlled detonation was carried out in situ, there would be too high a risk of significant damage to properties including destroying a number of houses and flying debris which would potentially damage a wide number of properties." "

The spokesperson added: "There are still risks with moving the device, but the experts consider them to be much lower following further work."



All local businesses within the cordon have also been told they will need to close and evacuate.