Thousands of "anxious" residents were evacuated from their homes as the military moved an unexploded Second World War bomb through the streets of Plymouth.
Saturday 24 February 2024 16:52, UK
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We're winding up our live updates on the bomb disposal in Plymouth for this evening.
Here's a reminder of what happened today:
Our correspondent Sabah Choudhry who has been speaking to residents throughout the day, also has this report summing up the day's events...
It's not known when the bomb will be detonated, but residents are hoping to catch sight of it in the daylight, says our correspondent Becky Cotterill in Plymouth.
"People are hoping for dramatic plumes of water coming out the sea," she says.
"We've been told that the bomb must be taken at least 14 metres below sea level.
"Then a diver will place an explosive charge on the device before moving away. And then it's basically a question of pressing go on detonation when the conditions are just so."
Weather conditions have to be right - which could be one of the reasons why detonation has been delayed so far, Becky says.
A Devon and Cornwall Police sergeant said he learned of a "drastic" change to plans for the bomb's disposal at 7am this morning - which later saw thousands more residents evacuated from their homes.
In posts to X, Sgt Sam Parfitt said police, volunteers and the military worked to "systematically clear" an area three times the size of yesterday's evacuation zone, with "less time".
"They did it in record time, meaning that we wouldn't miss the high tide to get the ordnance out to sea," he wrote.
"What followed was just remarkable. We watched with bated breath as the ordnance was transported through the eerie streets to the slipway, attached to a buoy and taken out to sea. Absolute professionals," Sgt Parfitt said.
Keyham residents have gone through some "extremely difficult times" in recent years but have rallied around once again, says Plymouth Sutton and Devonport MP Luke Pollard.
He noted that "200 metres" from where the bomb was found was the site of a mass shooting in 2021.
"This community has been through some extremely difficult times over the past few years," he said.
"They pulled themselves together, supported one another after that tragedy... they've done so again here, making sure that the vulnerable were able to get out, working with the police, the military and the city council to support one another."
Mr Pollard said he was "extraordinarily proud of this wonderful bit of Plymouth".
"I'm sure there'll be a few people enjoying a beer after what has been a really rough week for our city. But it has ended without a single loss of life, without a loss of buildings. That has to be something that we can be extraordinarily thankful for."
A Plymouth local told Sky News earlier that the evacuation of thousands of people and intervention of the military and police personnel was unexpected in a quiet city like Plymouth.
Holly Wyatt said she first watched news of the bomb being discovered on the news, but "didn't really expect it to escalate".
"It is something quite shocking really what's going on because like I said, we don't have much happen in this city" she said.
Despite living outside the evacuation zone the 27-year-old said she was sent home from work today.
When asked if she was hoping to watch the bomb being detonated at the coast, she said she probably wasn't.
"I think there's probably going to be quite a lot of people trying to do the same and police will be getting people out of the area. So that's why we're just watching it on the news."
Plymouth became a target of German bombers in July 1940.
With a sizeable British air force and army presence at the city, as well as a large navy dockyard, it came under heavy fire from the Luftwaffe.
Residents suffered the worst of the bombing during the Blitz, with explosives raining down over seven nights in March and April, 1941.
More than 6,000 bombs and 205,000 incendiary bombs were dropped on the city, killing 1,174 civilians, according to Plymouth Council.
More than 4,000 properties were destroyed and 18,000 damaged.
Archivists at The Box in Plymouth told Sky News the most sustained damage was caused over 20-22 March 1941 and between 21-23 and 29-30 April in the same year.
When did this bomb drop?
"Although fairly comprehensive, not all the bombs that were dropped on Plymouth were recorded," media archivist Stacey Anderson said.
The Box houses archives with dates and times of air raids, as well as the locations and the type of bombs dropped.
It also lists unexploded devices.
While this record could give some clues as to when the bomb found this week dropped, it's impossible to pinpoint specific locations or incidents without further supporting records, Ms Anderson said.
Defence secretary Grant Shapps has thanked all personnel involved in the "highly complex operation", who "worked both night and day this week to keep the public safe and minimise the risk of damage".
"The success of this operation is testament to the level of skill and expertise across our armed forces, as well as the bravery and fortitude of our personnel when faced with high-risk situations and working under extreme pressure," he said in a statement.
The bomb is set to be detonated "in the next 24 hours", the Ministry of Defence has said.
In an update this evening, the MoD confirmed the 500kg bomb - which prompted "one of the largest evacuation operations since the end of the Second World War" - has been towed "behind a Navy vessel" and submerged to a "safe depth" at sea.
"Royal Navy divers are scheduled to plant an explosive charge on the bomb in the next 24 hours, to complete the disposal operation," it said.
The MoD said 30 of the armed forces' most experienced bomb disposal experts have "worked around the clock" since Tuesday on the operation, which required "hours of careful analysis" before action was taken.
In all more than 100 British Army and Royal Navy personnel have been involved in the "complex operation" this week, it said.
Plymouth resident John Burns sent in this footage earlier of emergency crews, including fire and coastguard teams, near the unexploded bomb site.
Chief Superintendent Ian Drummond-Smith has shared this "nail-biting view" from the police ops room as the bomb was lifted from a back garden and transported to the sea...
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