Plymouth bomb: Disruption has been emotional rollercoaster, says resident

It has been an "emotional rollercoaster" for those on the Plymouth street where a World War Two bomb was found, one resident has said.

More than 10,000 people were evacuated from the area on Friday as the 500kg (1,102lb) device was moved and detonated at sea.

Residents of St Michael Avenue, Keyham, said they were meeting Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials on Monday to assess damage to their properties.

The MoD has been asked for a response.

About 3,250 people initially had to move out of their homes for several days when the bomb was found on Tuesday, according to Plymouth City Council.

The discovery prompted "one of the largest UK peacetime evacuation operations", according to the MoD.

Olivia, who lives next door to the house on St Michael Avenue where the bomb was found, said the past week had been an "emotional rollercoaster".

She said: "The military had to come in and they basically gave us an hour to empty our homes, because at the time they really did think that they were going to have to detonate it where it was, which would have resulted in our houses falling to the ground, basically."

Olivia said she was grateful for the work done by the military and the emergency services to protect her home, but said there was thousands of pounds worth of damage to her property.

"We've got drainage problems, the guttering was removed, we've had a plumber in today to fix the boiler, we're having our belongings put back into the house as we speak," she said.

"Again, we are thankful that we were helped to get our belongings out of the house, not everybody had that chance. I just think it's all been a little bit careless with people's personal belongings."

Olivia, who did not want the BBC to use her surname, said she and others on St Michael Avenue would be meeting with the MoD on Monday.

She added: "It's obviously thousands of pounds worth of damage. I work from home, so I'm not able to work at the moment.

"It's just, we need some help, we need someone to tell us it's going to be ok and we're going to be supported through this because, you know, we didn't ask for this, as much as we're grateful, we don't have the money to cover this, and someone's got to help us."

Megan Machado, who also lives on St Michael Avenue, said it was "absolutely horrifying" when the bomb was discovered just a few doors down from her home.

She said: "You never think it's going to happen to you, but living so close to a dockyard, they could be scattered all over the place, you're not going to know until someone starts digging in a garden.

"But ultimately, the way that the military have handled it, preserving life, we understand that, it's been fantastic."

Ms Machado said she was "emotionally drained" from the events of the past week.

She added: "I still feel anxious about everything that's going on, how are we going to pay for this? Who's going to pay for it? Are insurances going to pay for it? Because I don't think I can claim off my insurance."

Martyn Hammond, who also lives next door to where the bomb was found, said his "whole back garden" had been damaged in the process of assessing and moving the bomb.

Mr Hammond said he predicted it would cost "thousands" of pounds just to get the basic structure of his garden back.

He said he had "the most fantastic" neighbours, adding: "It was incredible, how many people came out and helped us try to sort some of this rubbish out. And when the weather's better, we're having a party, it's got to be done hasn't it?"

Mr Hammond said he and others on St Michael Avenue were grateful for the work of the military and the emergency services to remove the bomb safely.

Plymouth City Council said its work to support the community was continuing, with staff working hard to help Keyham "get back to normal".

It said: "Over the weekend, council officers visited St Michael Avenue to meet residents and discuss the clean-up.

"This includes removing large numbers of sandbags, arranging to return property that was put in storage, ensuring utilities have been restored, assisting with advice around any damage, removing any waste and rubbish.

"This work is likely to continue for the next few days. In the wider area, any waste and recycling collections that were missed will be rescheduled."

Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said some people in the city would need long-term support after disruption caused by the incident.

He said the "extraordinary week" saw many "supporting one another" with help from official agencies.

"We have to make sure support is still there," he said, adding: "This community has been through enough now."

In August 2021, five people in Keyham were killed by a gunman who took his own life.

Mr Pollard said: "It has been a whole team effort. It has made me incredibly proud of the way that, as a city, we've pulled together."

Follow BBC Devon on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].