People returning to 'normality' after WW2 bomb

A community is starting to get back to "normality" after a World War Two bomb was made safe and detonated in Plymouth.

Devon and Cornwall Police officers have been in the Southway area offering reassurance to people affected after the unexploded device - a 250kg (550lb) German SC250 bomb - was discovered at a building site on Wednesday afternoon.

More than 1,200 of households within a 400m (1,300ft) cordon were evacuated and residents were able to return home 48 hours later after the ordnance was detonated in situ and made safe on Friday afternoon.

Residents of 54 years Jennifer and Ray Hessan stayed home because, although their house was within the cordon, it was at the "very far end".

Jennifer said: "We didn't go anywhere when it was all happening. We stayed indoors.

"It's nice now to be able to get out and move around, see your neighbours as they're all back and it's back to normal."

Authorities including Plymouth City Council and Royal Navy bomb disposal experts and community volunteers worked together to keep the public safe, provide support and shelter and resolve the incident as quickly as possible.

Southway Youth and Community Centre offered its space to people and their pets who had to leave their homes unexpectedly and were unable to stay elsewhere for the two days the incident unfolded.

Despite being surrounded by thousands of homes, the only damage caused was minimal to a local church just feet away from where the controlled explosion took place.

Protective structures were installed around nearby buildings, including the church, and Plymouth City Council provided more than 400 tonnes of sand for specialists to build a mitigation structure to help stabilise and secure the device.

Ch Insp Jason Bryant, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said it was a "successful outcome" thanks to everyone working together.

He said: "We've had some really nice passers-by come up to us to say thanks for everything we've done; but also to our partners, particularly our military colleagues, who did an outstanding job to achieve such a successful outcome.

"I would like to thank all our partners, all our blue light colleagues and everyone involved trying to ensure the public's safe and return to normality as quickly as possible."

Resident Billy Such said he was glad it was all over and to be home, adding he was on his way home to have "another nap" due to feeling tired.

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