Homes, businesses and a school have been evacuated and roads closed after a WWII bomb was found in a quarry in Dorset.

The device was discovered by a worker at Henbury Quarry in Corfe Mullen, Dorset, on Tuesday morning.

A 1,000m (0.62 mile) exclusion zone was set up around the sand and gravel quarry in Old Market Road.

An RAF bomb disposal team destroyed the device in a controlled explosion shortly after 10:15 GMT.

Concrete-bomb

A rest centre was set up for residents at the Memorial Hall, Sturminster Marshall.

Staff and pupils from Castle Court School were taken to another site ahead of the explosion.

Disposing of the WWII bomb

Brimstone Site Investigation spoke 5131 (BD) Squadron to ascertain their disposal technique, it transpired that the RAF opted for a low order technique in dealing with this massive WWII experimental Barnes Wallis creation. Fortunately the unexploded bomb (UXB) was concrete filled this time.

Our UXO disposal services

Did you know, we are one of very few UXO contractors in the UK with a police ‘acquire and keep’ licence?

This means we can purchase serviceable explosives and store them in our magazine. We carry out short-notice demolitions across the UK, including the destruction of time-expired pyrotechnics and out of tolerance explosive products. Learn more about our UXO disposal capabilities here.

You can keep up to date with Brimstone by following us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn and YouTube.