Unexploded World War II bomb found in a garden in England
By Louise McLoughlin and Radina Gigova, CNN
London (CNN) — An unexploded bomb from World War II has been taken out to sea and detonated after being found in a garden in the English city of Plymouth, authorities said Friday.
As many as 10,000 people were impacted when parts of the southern English city were cordoned off to enable bomb disposal experts to take the device away, a member of the local parliament, Johnny Mercer, said in a post on social media.
The decision to detonate the bomb at sea was taken “after considering all options, including a controlled detonation on site,” according to a government statement.
“I think it is fair to say that the last few days will go down in history for Plymouth. This war-time bomb has really brought out war-time spirit, people coming together to really support each other and whilst it has been really tough – we got through it,” said Tudor Evans, leader of Plymouth City Council.
The bomb was carefully loaded onto a lorry, which drove slowly to the slipway so it could be loaded onto a boat, which then took the bomb out to sea so it could be safely detonated, he said.
Evans thanked the bomb experts for their bravery and for “putting their lives on the line” while they were removing the bomb.
The device was discovered on Tuesday in a garden, the Plymouth City Council said in a post on social media.
“It has been a rollercoaster of emotion the last few days, and I would like to praise the community for helping the emergency team in evacuating and supporting our effort to protect their home,” Evans said.
“It is a day I will never forget. I am so proud of Plymouth,” he added.
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