Bomb evacuation community spirit praised

A town's community spirit has been praised following an operation to remove a World War Two bomb from a dock.

Emergency services took the suspected 250lb (115kg) American "air-dropped" device from Falmouth Docks in Cornwall out to sea, where navy bomb experts will keep it for six days before returning to dispose it.

The operation led to a 755m (2,477ft) cordon being set up in the area with more than 300 homes evacuated and a help centre for displaced residents set up in All Saints' Church.

Thalia Marrington, Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for public safety, said everyone playing a part and following the guidance issued helped the operation run smoothly.

Marrington said some of the stories she had heard from the church, where people were given refreshments and sang songs together, put a "smile on her face".

"I just want to thank the community of Falmouth and absolutely everybody involved," Marrington said.

"Having everyone playing their part enables the emergency services to get on as quickly as they can with the bit that they need to do.

"People might not think that people might be vulnerable because they think 'oh I'll be out of my house for a few hours, it'll be fine', but some people really can't do that."

Laurie Magowan, Labour councillor for Falmouth Arwenack, said it has been a "fairly traumatic week" for the town but there was a huge amount of relief and gratitude to everyone who helped.

"When we all woke up on Monday morning, we couldn't have envisioned the activity and excitement that's taken place in the first half of this week," he said.

"I think everyone's really pleased that the operation's gone successfully and how well the community's responded to the incident and come together to support one another.

"I guess it's times like these where people can and do demonstrate the real value that they have for their neighbours and community."

Karen Cohen, who volunteered at the church, said her work during the day involved "being a human being talking and reassuring others who were quite anxious".

"We all go through periods of anxiety and stress during our lives, but certainly this is a major incident and people need to feel safe," Cohen said.

"By having the church opened up with people able to support others and just have a chat with them and offer them teas and coffees, it just gives them that place where they feel that they are safe."

Bomb disposal experts said due to the device's fuse, which is a 144-hour delay chemical fuse, it needed to be left for six days in case it had been set off.

The bomb is on the sea bed in about 20m (66ft) of water with a 500m (1,640ft) exclusion zone around it.

Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall on Thursday, Marrington said there had not been an update on when the bomb would be disposed.

"Nothing's ever set in stone with something like this," Marrington said.

"I think bomb disposal experts have said six days at least.

"But from what I've heard, it won't be a big blast, so you won't be able to look out to sea in six days' time and see something."

Dave Henry, from Falmouth Coastguard, said the bomb was sitting in the water and urged people to avoid the area.

Henry said "we'd rather people avoided the area" and "to be honest, there's nothing to see...".

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