A historic World War Two bomb in Plymouth was successfully detonated after evacuating over 1,260 households. The controlled explosion occurred on May 1, 2026. The bomb was a 250kg German SC250 air-dropped weapon found on a building site.
The bomb was deemed too unstable to move. Bomb disposal teams decided to detonate it in situ. Authorities established a cordon with a radius of 400 metres. Residents were advised to leave windows open and turn off water before the explosion.
During the operation, an evacuation centre was set up at Southway Youth and Community Centre. Approximately 450 tonnes of sand surrounded the bomb to mitigate the blast’s impact. Smoke was visible in the area following the detonation.
Three local schools closed for safety during the operation. Councillor Sally Haydon expressed gratitude, stating, “Our heartfelt thanks go to the brave Army and Royal Navy unexploded ordnance specialists who have worked tirelessly over recent days.” An unnamed resident remarked, “There was a big, big bang; you couldn’t miss this one.”
Colonel Nick Handy cautioned about potential damage from the explosion. He noted, “We have to be realistic; when that thing goes ‘bang’, there will be damage.” Debris from the detonation led to continued safety measures in the area.
