The bomb in Plymouth is "relatively small" but its damage could be "quite considerable", says an honorary associate professor.

Dr Harry Bennett from Plymouth University claims the device is an SC50 bomb - developed during World War Two.

"It's a general purpose bomb and of course the Germans dropped a substantial number of them over Plymouth during March and April 1941 as part of the Plymouth Blitz causing massive devastation," he says.

"It's a relatively small bomb but you don't want even a relatively small bomb going off in a relatively built up area."

He says there are a number of reasons why the bombs didn't go off all those years ago, including a malfunction or a delay.

A Plymouth hotel will remain closed until a nearby unexploded bomb has been made safe, management has said.

The Moxy Hotel was evacuated on Wednesday afternoon and alternative accommodation was found for guests.

Staff said some guests had to leave quickly.

"If you are a current guest and left items behind in your room, you can return to collect them.

"Please approach the cordon and speak to the police – they will escort you to the hotel and back again.

"Thank you for your patience and co-operation during this operation," management said.

Scott Bingham
BBC South West

The cordon around the bomb site here in Millbay, Plymouth, remains in place.

A handful of homes and businesses along with a hotel and school have been evacuated, but there have been no changes overnight.

We've seen bomb disposal teams working hard to fill sandbags and place them around the bomb, but we've been told they're waiting on specialist X-ray equipment to help determine how they make the device safe.

I'm told that same equipment might be needed in Exmouth too, so it might not even arrive in Plymouth today.

Exmouth Rugby Club says it is offering help to emergency services, highways teams and anyone assisting with the evacuation in the town.

The club said its doors and facilities "are currently open to you (until we hear further), offering a warm space to grab free hot drinks".

Victoria Graham
BBC Spotlight

Two unexploded bombs - one in Plymouth the other in Exmouth.

The question is - how to deal with them?

The situation is changing all the time, but we will have the latest on BBC Spotlight as residents and businesses fear a second night of disruption.

Plymouth has been here before - many times.

History is coming back to haunt us - all on BBC Spotlight on BBC One and iPlayer at 13:30 GMT.

Alex Green
BBC South West

Drone footage from Millbay shows emergency services at the scene as they await specialist X-ray equipment needed to help make the devices safe.

• In Exmouth, a 400m cordon remains in place and about 2,000 homes are affected
• In Plymouth, a 100m cordon is in place with a small number of properties evacuated
• Specialist military teams are currently on site assessing the devices in both locations and determining the safest methods for disposal
• Specialist X-ray equipment is on its way to make both of the devices safe
• Plymouth City Council says the bomb in Exmouth is "much larger" than the one in Millbay.

Plymouth City Council says there is currently "no further evacuation of neighbouring residential properties".

It says the map which shows the impacted area is largely industrial or local businesses.

Image source, Plymouth City Council

Alyx Fairbrother, from Exmouth, spent the night in a leisure centre as she could not find accommodation due to taking her pet with her when she was evacuated.

She says her home is about 100m (328ft) away from the bomb.

"I was shocked, surprised, a bit panicked, it was very unexpected.

"I had a knock on the door and they asked if I knew what was going on.

"They recommended I immediately evacuate and said the leisure centre was taking people in."

She got to the leisure centre at about 20:30BST on Wednesday.

Fairbrother says she was advised not to take her cat Bubba with her but decided to as she considers him "part of the family".

"I sacrificed accommodation because I have a pet with me, there are a lot of people here with dogs," she said.

"He's been in his cat basket all night and he's not happy at all.

"We got duvets at about 02:30 in the morning, it's not exactly ideal and a lot of people are elderly.

"We are sat here waiting to find out what we are doing tonight.

"It would be nice if we could find a resolution to this."

Exmouth beach is closed as emergency services continue to respond to the unexploded German WW2 bomb found at the marina, East Devon District Council says.

The authority says a 400m safety cordon remains in place and about 2,000 homes are affected.

"Specialist military teams are currently on site assessing the device and determining the safest method for disposal. Public safety remains the priority," it says.

Specialist X-ray equipment is on its way to make the two separate devices safe, Plymouth City Council says.

The authority says there have been "no changes" to the incident in Plymouth, but says Royal Navy bomb disposal experts are awaiting the specialist equipment to make the device safe - and it will also be used for the device in Exmouth.

"We are uncertain about the timings for its arrival in Plymouth," it says.

The council says the device in Exmouth is "much larger".

Evacuated residents in Exmouth who were unable to find accommodation due to having pets have spent the night with their animals at Exmouth Leisure Centre.

Other evacuated residents are also making the most of the facilities with their pets as the bomb disposal operation continues.

The council's advice for pet owners is to make arrangements for them to stay with friends and family.

It's FAQ document, external says: "There is limited amount of space at Exmouth Leisure Centre and therefore whilst we won’t turn away anyone with a pet, animals will need to be on leads, in suitable cages or carriers etc as appropriate."

Alex Green
BBC South West

Andy Wood, director of place at East Devon District Council, says the bomb disposal team in Exmouth has confirmed the ordnance is a German WW2 bomb, but has yet to identify the type of fuse.

He says the council will continue to issue updates to residents and businesses.

Image source, Matthew Waldron

Matthew Waldron, who works at an accountancy firm on Imperial Road, in Exmouth, said he arrived to find people being evacuated from the office.

"I was sent an email on my way to work saying the cordon was just after the office and bosses said don't come in if don't have to," he said.

"When I arrived about 20 minutes later the cordon had been extended and people were being evacuated from the office.

"Police were saying 'can everyone in the area get out'."

Waldron said it was a "strange" experience for his colleagues in the office but "weirdly" he was caught in another bomb disposal operation while at university in Exeter in 2021.

Image source, Matthew Waldron

• Local authorities and bomb disposal experts are meeting to discuss the situations in Exmouth and Plymouth
• The evacuation zone in Exmouth includes about 2,000 properties and 5,000 people, according to East Devon District Council
• Residents in the area have been told they may need to be away from their homes for a second night
• Police have asked people to avoid the area around Exmouth Marina and Millbay Road in Plymouth

David Reed, MP for Exmouth and Exeter East, has posted on Facebook, external praising the community spirit of people facing evacuation from their homes.

He shared the advice of emergency services to evacuate homes within the area with help available from the LED Leisure Centre in Exmouth.

"A huge thank you to all the teams working around the clock to bring this situation to a safe conclusion, particularly in very wet and challenging conditions," Reed said.

"Thanks as well to the LED staff, volunteers, and council staff for the care, reassurance, and support they are providing to those affected."He added: "Having spent time with you all over the past few hours, I am incredibly proud of the way our community has come together during this unexpected turn of events."

Exmouth resident Fiona Bolt is at the town's LED Leisure Centre and says the situation has left her feeling "stressed and anxious".

Bolt, who runs Cameron Jones Financial Management Ltd, says she was working at the office, which overlooks the marina, when police told her to stop working and evacuate.

"We don't know when we're going to get back," she says.

"I don't know when I can open my office again.

"I'd like to know what's the likely time scale for this to be sorted."

Image source, John Cameron

Police in Exmouth say the device dredged from the marina is a German World War Two bomb.

Exmouth resident John Cameron was evacuated on Wednesday and was put up in a hotel overnight.

He and his wife live at Exmouth Marina.

Before the evacuation, he said he could see the dredger in the marina, with a large object about 3-4ft (0.9-1.2m) in length and 2ft (60cm) in diameter onboard the vessel.

Devon's coastal towns and cities were targeted by German aircraft during World War Two due to their strategic location, ports and infrastructure.

There were more than 50 bombing attacks on Plymouth between 1941 and 1944 killing 1,178 civilians in the area.

Official records estimate that at least 2,820 bombs fell on the city with about 10% failing to detonate.

Image source, Getty Images

The Ministry of Defence says about 60 unexploded ordnance from World War Two are discovered each year across the British Isles.

A 500kg (1,102lb) German World War Two bomb was discovered in a Plymouth garden in February 2024.

Image source, PA Media

A bomb thought to be an old navy shell was detonated on a beach in north Devon in June 2025.

Image source, Royal Navy

Royal Navy experts disposed of a live grenade and a World War Two shell in two separate call-outs in September 2025.

Image source, Royal Navy

Evacuated residents in Exmouth are being told they may need to be away from their homes for a second night.East Devon District Council leader Paul Arnott said: "I think it would be dishonest of me not to say there is another night of this, where people are going to have to be in temporary accommodation."

On Wednesday night, Arnott said about 30 residents slept in the town's LED sports centre, and a further 60 people were housed at an Exeter Hotel by Devon County Council.