At least 50,000 people were forced out of the centre of Hanover after three unexploded World War II bombs were discovered.

Two of the bombs were successfully diffused. The third will require specialised equipment before it can be made safe.

Authorities had believed they would find up to five British dropped bombs, but two turned of the sites turned out only to contain scrap metal.

People living in the city, as well as businesses, were told to ensure their water, electricity and gas supplies were turned off before they left.

Sunday's operation was one of the biggest post-war efforts to diffuse devices, which were mostly dropped in aerial attacks by Allied forces.


Bomb disposal expert Chris Hunter described the find as "quite a significant incident", telling Sky News: "We don't tend to see five at once."

Among the people moved out of a densely populated area were elderly residents living in retirement and nursing homes. Transport throughout the city was also disrupted.

For those affected, authorities laid on a range of sports, cultural and leisure activities, including trips to museums and film screenings.

Mr Hunter explained that a property boom and construction work are among the reasons for an increase in the discovery of WWII bombs, as well as people spending more time outdoors as the weather gets warmer.

He said that high-explosives lying dormant for years, on devices that often have booby-trap mechanisms, can be ready to detonate any second.

"It's inherently dangerous," he said.

The evacuation of Hanover was the biggest of its type since Christmas, when an unexploded British bomb forced 54,000 people out of the southern city of Augsberg.