Nearly 340 Falmouth Households Evacuated After Suspected Second World War Bomb Found Offshore

Almost 340 households in Falmouth have been forced from their homes after a suspected 250kg Second World War bomb was discovered in the water near the town's docks, triggering a major emergency operation.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the device, believed to be a 250kg American bomb from the Second World War, was found in the water near Falmouth Docks on Monday, 21 September. Specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel were called to assess the device, which was located about 40 metres off Pendennis Headland.

Cornwall Council said the planned cordon had been revised down from 1,400 metres to 755 metres following further advice from army bomb disposal experts. The revised area covers an estimated 339 households, with residents urged to leave by 9am on Wednesday, 23 September.

The council said the household figure was an estimate of properties within the affected area rather than a precise count of individual homes.

Expanding Cordon and Ongoing Evacuation

Superintendent Ian Thompson said the 755-metre cordon was based on the latest analysis from military specialists and was needed so they could safely deal with the unexploded wartime bomb. Police stressed that the size of the cordon was determined by military advice rather than representing a calculated blast radius.

Officers said residents within the evacuation area were strongly urged to leave and follow instructions from emergency services. Cornwall Council said reception centres and support were being prepared for people who had nowhere else to go or needed help leaving their homes.

The disruption has also extended to public transport. Great Western Railway suspended services between Falmouth Town and Falmouth Docks from Wednesday morning as the evacuation and bomb-disposal operation continued.

Road closures have also affected parts of Falmouth, including services around the National Maritime Museum, Pendennis Headland and Cliff Road. Cornwall Council has advised people to avoid travelling into the affected area unless necessary.

Local businesses within the cordon have also been affected, with people inside the area instructed to follow police guidance. Cornwall Council said residents should not return until police or emergency services confirm that it is safe to do so.

Wartime Legacy Still Disrupting the South West

Unexploded wartime ordnance continues to be discovered across parts of the South West, including areas that were heavily used for military and naval activity during the Second World War.

In February 2024, a 500kg German Second World War bomb found in a residential garden in Plymouth led to the evacuation of more than 10,000 people. The device was later detonated in a controlled explosion after efforts to move it were deemed too risky.

Plymouth, home to the Devonport naval base, suffered extensive bombing during the Second World War. The discovery of unexploded ordnance remains a recurring issue as construction and infrastructure work uncovers devices left from the conflict.

Such finds are not confined to Plymouth. Unexploded wartime ordnance can remain buried or submerged for decades, particularly around former military and dockyard areas.

For now, Falmouth's cordon remains in place. Cornwall Council has urged people within the evacuation zone to follow instructions from police and emergency services while specialists deal with the unexploded device, with public safety remaining the priority.