Army bomb disposal experts tackle WW2 bomb in Bethnal Green — News story

Local residents and businesses will be evacuated as a safety precaution, the Metropolitan Police has said.

This afternoon hundreds of people were forced to evacuate their homes in Bethnal Green after a metre-long bomb was found on a construction site.

While its hard to tell when and where the next unexploded bomb will be discovered, the interactive map below (launched in 2012) plots where (almost) every bomb landed during the Blitz.

Police have advised motorists to avoid several roads including: Old Bethnal Green Road, Warner Place, Squarres Street, Bethnal Green Road, Cambridge Heath Road and Hackney Road.

Specialist police officers are at the scene and surrounding roads have been closed. “Significant traffic disruption is expected”.

Alex J Georgiou shared this photo of the scene on Twitter, and said “The army are coming!” Residents within 200m of that device were told they weren’t allowed home.

Another posted: “Looking like they’ve just extended the cordon #blastzone #bethnalgreen”.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “Police were called to the scene an unexploded World War 2 device that was discovered by contractors working at Temple Street, Bethnal Green at around 12.45pm today”.

“Motorists are advised to use alternative routes to avoid this area where possible”.

The London Fire Brigade tweeted at around 3.30pm: “We’re working with the Police and (Tower Hamlets Council) at unexploded WW2 bomb in #Bethnal Green”.

The cordoned-off area includes the 20-storey Claredale House, London’s first council high-rise tower, now converted to private apartments.

“Further information will follow in due course”.