Home owners in Plymouth have been given an hour to evacuate after an explosive device from the Second World War was discovered.

The bomb will be removed and transported by military convoy through the city for disposal at sea at 2.00pm.

Any resident living within 300 metres of the route will need to evacuate their home between the hours of 2.00pm and 5.00pm this afternoon.

The evacuation order affects 1,219 properties and an estimated 3,250 people.

A military vehicle at the scene near St Michael Avenue, Plymouth, where residents have been evacuated

The bomb will be carried through Royal Navy Ave, Saltash Rd, Albert Rd, Park Ave and Ferry Rd. All roads along the route will be closed until the device is safely removed.

Plymouth City Council said bomb disposal experts from the Army and Royal Navy had been assessing the device to determine how best to deal with it.

A spokeswoman said: “It is a very complex situation, and a number of factors need to be considered by the members of the resilience forum, alongside the overriding objective of people’s safety, including damage to property and impact on underground utilities.

“Following more information about the device and after considering all options, including a controlled detonation on site, partners have agreed that the safest and least impactful option is to remove the device from St Michael Avenue and travel to the Torpoint Ferry slipway – for the bomb to be disposed of at sea (beyond the breakwater).”

The cordon stretches around any properties 300m within the route

The evacuation order affects 1,219 properties and an estimated 3,250 people