The discovery of an unexploded second world war bomb has prompted evacuations and school closures in London.
The device was found by builders working on a development in Brondesbury Park, north-west London, on Thursday evening, on The Avenue near the junction of Willesden Lane.
The Metropolitan police, London fire brigade and the British Army were scrambled to the scene, where a cordon was erected and homes were evacuated.
British Army tweeted, “Working through the night with @metpoliceuk , bomb disposal experts made safe an unexploded German WW2 bomb in brent”
Supt Nigel Quantrell, of Brent borough, said: “We are working very hard resolve the situation. The public’s understanding and cooperation is deeply appreciated.”
Nearly 30 schools, nurseries and parent and toddler groups are expected to be affected on Friday, including 10 school closures.
Brent council’s emergency planning team set up a rest centre at St Martin’s church in Kensal Green on Thursday.
The leader of Brent council, Muhammed Butt, told reporters 78 residents spent Thursday night in a hotel, while the Met said bad weather had delayed the removal of the bomb. The device should be removed by Friday afternoon.
Butt said: “Council officers are currently making arrangements for our residents in the Willesden Lane area to make their way to a rest centre where they will be looked after until it is safe to return to their homes.
“I would like to thank these residents who have shown great patience during this time. We will continue to provide updates on the situation as soon as they come through.”
Robin Mills, who lives in The Avenue, told the Kilburn Times: “From what I could see, [the device] was about six-feet long and about a foot wide.”
He described being evacuated for the first time as feeling “a bit strange”, adding: “I can imagine what people in the war times must have felt.”
In 2012,the Bomb Sight project attempted to map the incendiary devices that fell on London between 7 October 1940 and 6 June 1941.
Created by Dr Catherine Jones of the University of Portsmouth and the the National Archives, the map reveals the damage inflicted by German war planes during the blitz.
Courtesy: The Guardian
