Wembley homes evacuated after WWII bomb found

Homes were evacuated as the army worked to defuse the undetonated bomb, which was taken to Bedfordshire to be destroyed.

The 50kg explosive, believed to have been dropped over London during Nazi bombing raids in the early 1940s, was found by builders working near the stadium.

The army warned of a “genuine risk to life” as homes and businesses, reportedly including the studio in which Britain’s Got Talent is filmed, were evacuated outside a 400m police cordon.

Experienced team

Royal Logistic Corps disposal teams from Northolt and Ashchurch excavated the Luftwaffe Sprengbombe-Cylindrisch general purpose bomb, and Royal Engineers built a blast wall around the site to limit an accidental explosion.

“The team is very well experienced. They’ve dealt with improvised explosive devices in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland which are much more complex than second world war munitions,” the army spokesman added.

A number of residential and business addresses have been evacuated as a precaution. Metropolitan Police spokesman

The Evening Standard said residents in two housing had been evacuated, along with Fountain Studios, where the ITV talent show is filmed.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “The device was discovered by builders working at the location.

“Officers are at the scene and a 400m cordon has been implemented around the site whilst work is under way to make the device safe.

“A number of residential and business addresses have been evacuated as a precaution.”