Residents have been told they can return to their homes after an operation to dispose of an unexploded World War Two bomb found in Exmouth Marina.

Following the discovery of the unexploded ordnance on Wednesday, East Devon District Council had installed a temporary 400m cordon near the marina and evacuated those living within the affected area.

According to the council, the device was found ‘during routine dredging operations’ and ‘prompted an immediate, coordinated multi-agency response’.

Roughly 2,000 homes were impacted by the incident, which saw Exmouth beach closed and involved drivers being asked to avoid the marina.

The council said it had been working with emergency services such as Devon & Cornwall Police, as well as other local councils and public service partners to address the incident, and military bomb disposal experts had been called to the site late on Wednesday to determine the safest disposal method.

A support centre had also been provided at Exmouth Leisure Centre to offer shelter and information for those impacted, with approximately 100 residents having been successfully placed in temporary accommodation by the council.

Specialist military bomb disposal teams had stayed on site until Thursday to continue assessing the device and disposal methods. The council confirmed that residents were still unable to return home during this time because ‘public safety remains the absolute priority’.

Cllr Paul Arnott, Leader of East Devon District Council, said: ‘This is an understandably unsettling situation for residents, and we are grateful for the patience and cooperation shown by the community. Our focus is on safety, supporting those affected, and working with specialist teams to resolve the situation as quickly and safely as possible.’

By 7am today, the council published an updated statement announcing that ‘residents are free to return to their homes’, following the police’s lifting of all cordons that were required during the operation.

‘We would like to thank residents for their co-operation and partners who have worked tirelessly to keep residents housed, safe and well’, the statement reads.