The bomb has been deemed unsafe to move to detonate elsewhere
18:20, 30 Apr 2026Updated 18:23, 30 Apr 2026
A historic German SC250, which is a 250kg air-dropped bomb, was found in Plymouth.(Image: Plymouth City Council)
The World War II bomb uncovered in Plymouth will be detonated in situ tomorrow (Friday, May 1), authorities have confirmed.
At a press conference this afternoon Devon and Cornwall Police and the Royal Navy confirmed the 250kg unexploded German bomb cannot be moved, after it was uncovered at a building site in Southway.
Large amounts of sand will be used to cover the bomb before it is blown up, to reduce the amount of shrapnel and fragments spread by the controlled explosion.
A no-fly zone is in place for safety and people have also been urged to stay away from the area, with spectators told there will be no visible view of the detonation.
Over 1,200 properties have been evacuated and residents have been urged to leave their homes, as some people have so far refused instruction to evacuate. Those unable to find alternative accommodation can go to the evacuation centre at the Southway Community Centre.
Speaking outside the centre this evening, Colonel Nick Handy told press: “A lot of people say well it’s been in the ground for 80 years, what’s the problem with it?
“The simple reason is, the fuses are the thing that makes it go bang and we need to understand whether that’s a time fuse with a mechanical timer or an electrical fuse that’s got a capacitor that is drained and therefore safe. That dictates whether we actually move that item.
“Unfortunately we cannot get a definitive X-ray of the second fuse and therefore it’s not safe to move that item. So we’re going to blow it in situ.
“We’re going to try our hardest to deflagrate that item and burn it inside of a structure that will limit the damage to the local surroundings. I’m pretty confident that mitigation that we put up will limit most of the damage. But we’ll look to do that at some point tomorrow.
“We’re going to work tirelessly though the night to ensure that that mitigation protects the buildings that face the times and indeed cover the items to ensure the least amount of blast and fragmentation come out from the area where we do our work.”
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Plymouth City Council said: “Royal Navy and Army UXO specialists have now completed a rigorous and detailed assessment of the device. They have advised that it is not possible to safely remove it. The only safe option is to make the device safe in situ, which will involve a controlled detonation.
“Specialist teams are currently building a mitigation structure using large quantities of sand to reduce the potential impact of the detonation. The detonation will take place at some point tomorrow and will only take place once all safety measures are fully in place.
“Please note, you will not be able to see this ‘detonation’ from any point around the cordon, so please stay away from the area. The Police have also issued a no-fly zone over the site, which means no drones are allowed.”
Originally a 100m cordon was in place, which has since been expanded to 200m as a precautionary measure and then 400m.
At 7am today, Plymouth City Council said: “Royal Navy unexploded ordnance (UXO) specialists have worked through the night to continue their assessment of the device discovered in Southway and to determine the safest way to make it secure.
“Plymouth City Council is supporting this work by supplying large quantities of sand to help ensure the device remains stable while specialist operations continue.
“Meanwhile, work to evacuate approximately 1,260 households within the 400‑metre safety cordon is ongoing. Devon and Cornwall Police, supported by volunteers from a number of organisations e.g. Coast Guard, are continuing door‑to‑door visits to provide residents with information and encourage people to leave their homes for their own safety.”
It’s since been confirmed with the Royal Navy UXO experts that the device is a historic German SC250 – a 250kg air-dropped weapon.