WWII bomb found in field exploded

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500lb WWII bomb detonated

A World War II bomb found in a field in North Yorkshire has been detonated in a controlled explosion.

The 500lb (227kg) device was found in the field near Ebberston on Sunday by enthusiasts who were excavating a plane which crashed there in the 1940s.

More than 1,000 people living in Ebberston and nearby Allerston were evacuated and surrounding roads were closed ahead of the blast.

An RAF team carried out the controlled explosion at 1502 BST.

Ch Insp Dave Foster, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "It went very well. It was on time, the residents were excellent, the evacuation was successful.

"There was a significant explosion, which was what we anticipated. Even with that, the garden centre next door which has acres of glass only suffered a couple of broken panes."

Villager unimpressed

However, some villagers who watched the event appeared unimpressed by the blast.

One woman who brought along her grandson to witness the explosion, was asked by a TV reporter if it had been worth it.

"Not really," she replied. "Could've stopped in with our dogs couldn't we?"

The RAF team spent two days preparing for the blast, surrounding the device with dozens of one-tonne sandbags to minimise the impact of the explosion.

A 300m cordon placed around the field was extended to more than a kilometre ahead of the detonation.

Leaflets about the evacuation were delivered to residents on Monday night and buses were put on to take people to the village hall at Snainton, which is about two miles away.

Animals grazing on fields in the affected area were also moved.

It is thought the aircraft was a Whitley bomber which was returning to the UK after being hit by flak over Germany.

The pilot and two crew were said to have parachuted from the plane before it crashed in the field.