Bath unexploded bomb: Hundreds evacuated after device found at school

The device was found in Lansdown Road in Bath

Up to 1,000 homes faced evacuation on Thursday after a suspected unexploded Second World War device was found at a school.

A 300-metre exclusion zone was set up following the discovery at Lansdown Road in Bath where contractors using a digger unearthed the device at Royal High School.

According to reports the 500lb bomb was discovered just one metre beneath the surface of the school's playground which had been in use until a few years ago.

Those living nearby were evacuated to Bath Racecourse and motorists were asked to find alternative routes as some roads in the area were closed.

The "large" device was discovered at around 4.40pm on Thursday as excavation work was carried out at the the site and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was alerted, Avon and Somerset Police Force Incident Manager, Inspector Rob Pearson, said.

At around 6pm, after studying pictures of the find, police were instructed to set up a cordon and evacuate those properties within it.

Mr Pearson said a range of emergency services were involved in a "multi-agency approach to keep people safe".
Inspector Gavin Usher said decisions to evacuate houses "are never taken lightly but during these incidents public safety will always be our primary concern".

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bath-unexploded-bomb-hundreds-evacuated-after-device-found-at-school-a7027161.html



All those kids running over it for all those years.   Wonder if they have been allowed back yet.

Bring me my brown pants.

SWEET JESUS ...gave me goose bumps clear over my scalp; all those years!  I can't imagine how dangerous that will be to handle - make it safe to transport. 
What if they'd hit it with a back hoe or trencher --- horrible things, those weapons of war.  Nasty remains that just get left behind, I've always hated those land mines too!

The EOD team are currently building a barrier around the device using 250 tonnes of sand.
Once this is in place, they will remove the device with a police escort to a safe location away from the Bath area, where they will carry out a controlled explosion.
A number of residents have chosen to remain in their homes and have been instructed to stay inside.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bath-unexploded-bomb-hundreds-evacuated-after-device-found-at-school-a7027161.html 

Wouldn't want to be the one getting the 'short straw' on that job!

Hundreds of people may have to spend a second night away from their homes after a suspected unexploded World War Two bomb was discovered in Bath.
Up to 1,000 homes have been evacuated and a 300m exclusion zone is in place following the find in Lansdown Road.
According to reports, a 500lb (228kg) bomb was found just a metre beneath a playground at the former Royal High Junior School.
Residents have been evacuated to Bath Racecourse for up to 48 hours.

The device was discovered at about 16:40 BST on Thursday by contractors using a digger at the former school, which had been in use until a few years ago.


Police said the bomb measures 1.42 metres in length




Avon and Somerset Police said the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team had attended the site.

'Controlled explosion'

"The EOD are currently building a barrier around the device using 250 tonnes of sand," a spokesman said.
"Once this barrier is in place, they will remove the device with a police escort to a safe location away from the Bath area, where they will carry out a controlled explosion."
He added that residents "outside the exclusion zone" would be unable to re-enter for up to 48 hours, while those who remained inside the cordon were being prevented from moving within 100m of the device.
Robin Squire, from Acorn Properties which has been working on the school site, said there had been "a history of bombs in the area" and "all the relevant surveys" had been carried out.
"It was actually in an area we wouldn't expect to find anything - not that we necessarily expect to find a bomb," he said.
"But people on site were warned what to look for and then basically we had to put the situation in the hands of the police and the Army."

Bob Lawrence, who stayed overnight at Bath racecourse, said he had been looked after "very well".
"I was walking back from the pub - up Lansdown Road - and the people in front of us got turned back by the police but we took another route home," he said.
"At about 9 o'clock we got a knock on the door and the police advised to evacuate. A couple of our neighbours decided to stay there but the rest of us moved out."
But Glyn, who lives "about 150 yards away from where the said bomb is", decided to remain at home.
"To be fair the bomb's been there for 70 years," he said.
"I've lived long enough with that bomb next to me and if it was going to go off, it would have gone off by now."
The Bath Blitz took place in April 1942, and was part of the Baekdeker raids by the German air force in which targets were chosen due to their cultural and historical status.

Michelle Carpenter said she had been allowed back into the area briefly by police.
"When I got to my flat at about 8 o'clock, the police said I couldn't have access so I've spent the night with my boyfriend." she said.
"But this morning the police told me I could come in [to my flat] for a few minutes just to get some stuff that I need for the day."
Ch Insp Kevin Thatcher has urged "people not to be alarmed".
"The EOD are working as quickly as they can to remove the device and we will provide regular updates on their progress," he said.
A Bath & North East Somerset Council spokesman said: "Schools close to the cordon may be affected and the advice is to consult the council website, Twitter feed, local radio stations, as well as look out for messages from the schools themselves."
Motorists have been asked to find alternative routes as some roads in the area are closed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-36279782

Well, it is reassuring that there wasn't a active school on site but I've got a question{s} for any of our military members on here;
1.) how could this size of a bomb be missed in a metal detector /ground sweep
2.) is it still viable for a weapons grade explosive or just highly so unstable that they do not know

4ever, they never knew it was there, no reason for a metal detector to ever be used.

If they can get the fuse out the bomb can be moved no problems.
If not able to get fuse out it may be possible to drill a hole in caseing and intrduce hot steam to melt explosive.

Or they my decide bomb is safe to remove and take it away and explode it somewhere safe.

nicko wrote:4ever,    they never knew it was there,  no reason for a metal detector to ever be used.

If they can get the fuse out the bomb can be moved no problems.
If not able to get fuse out it may be possible to drill a hole in caseing and intrduce hot steam to melt explosive.

Or they my decide bomb is safe to remove and take it away and explode it somewhere safe.

Granted this will be an assumption on my part; but given that this region was heavily bombed by the Germans - is it too far fetched to think that they don't to that prior to building any schools/modifying/allowing play ground areas for children to play on?

That was my POV, as a non-military type - MOTHER, looking on from my armchair

4ever, far as i know no one ever checks with metal detectors before building, bombs are only found when digging foundations etc.

nicko wrote:4ever,   far as i know no one ever checks with metal detectors before building,     bombs are only found when digging foundations etc.