Military bomb disposal experts called in after discovery of WW2 bomb on HS2 rail line
A German Second World War bomb has been detonated by military bomb disposal experts in a controlled explosion, after it was discovered at a High Speed 2 (HS2) rail site in Warwickshire.
Police had been called to an area of Cubbington Wood, near Leamington Spa, and then handed it over to the British Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists.
Speaking to Forces News, HS2 confirmed that the military team identified the munition as a German SC 250 Air-dropped General Purpose High Explosive Bomb and safely carried out the detonation.
The contractor added that it is thought this is the largest bomb ever found on an HS2 site to date, at around a metre long and 368mm in diameter.
Residents and a nearby school had to be notified, and the site was then secured to carry out the operation.
A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said: "We can confirm that, on Friday 19 May, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team attached to the British Army successfully carried out a controlled explosion of a World War 2 bomb.
"To keep everyone safe, excavation works have been paused on this site while UXO (unexploded ordnance) specialist company, Zetica carry out further UXO surveys."
It comes after a court ruled that damage to Exeter University, which was caused by the controlled detonation of a WW2 bomb, was an 'act of war' and the insurance firm did not have to pay damages.
Contractors working on a construction site on private land to the west of the university's campus unearthed the unexploded 1,000kg (2,200lb) device in February 2021.
The judge ruled in the firm's favour, saying "the dropping of the bomb is an act of war and so the loss suffered is excluded from cover".
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