Life is returning to normal in Exmouth and Plymouth since the discovery of two World War Two unexploded bombs on Wednesday led to people being asked to leave their homes.

Both of the devices were safely transported out to sea and disposed of this morning.

After the bombs were moved the cordons were lifted and people were able to return to their homes and businesses.

We're ending our live coverage, but you can read more in our main news story.

Alex Green
BBC South West

Two World War Two bombs found in Exmouth and Plymouth have now been removed and destroyed - but what was involved?

Col Darren Fisher, who was involved in the operation in Exmouth, said both of the devices could have been fitted with anti-handling fuses, and it was important to establish the type of fuses - using specialist equipment.

He said: “Due to the nature of the way that the devices were placed in the ground, and also the detritus and the debris on the device here in Exmouth, it made that really difficult, and clearly these bombs are nearly 80 years old, and they’re pretty rusty and in a bad state.”

The colonel said radiography was used to establish the type of fuse in the explosive device.

“Once we’ve established whether they’re safe to use or not, it was then a matter for the Royal Navy, who conduct the render safe procedure.

“We’re quite fortunate here... because we’ve opted for a demolition at sea.”

He said getting the 250kg bomb off the barge in Exmouth Marina and onto the boat to be taken to sea was “quite a complex operation”, due to limited space in the marina.

Fisher said the bomb was then taken to sea, placed on the sea bed, about 17m (55ft) down, and detonated safely.

"From the floatation pack, the navy will allow the device to sink to the seabed, before removing that pack and then placing their charges.

"Then, when it’s safe to do so, light the fuse and demolish the device."

He said the military had worked in conjunction with the King’s harbour master, and also the Environment Agency, to carefully select the area and limit any damage.

• The second unexploded ordnance found in Devon on Wednesday was dredged from the water in Exmouth Marina and a 400m (1,312ft) cordon was put in place with people asked to leave their homes.

Image source, East Devon District Council

• A bomb disposal team from the Midlands arrived at about 19:35 before the operation was paused due to the loss of daylight and the need for extra equipment.
• East Devon District Council said about 5,000 people and 2,000 properties were affected by the cordon with people asked to find alternative accommodation.

Image source, Kingsbridge Coastguard Rescue

• The disposal team confirmed the device was a World War Two bomb on Thursday morning but had to wait for specialist X-ray equipment to arrive before deciding how to remove it.
• The decision was made to extend the cordon from 400m (1,312ft) to 600m (1,967ft) on Thursday evening affecting a further 500 properties.

• East Devon District Council said the bomb disposal team planned to carefully transport the device to sea at high tide in the early hours of Friday.
• The cordon was lifted at about 06:30 on Friday and the bomb had been safely destroyed in a controlled explosion at 08:13.

Image source, Mike “Sprat” Smith

• An unexploded ordnance was discovered on a building site in the Millbay area of Plymouth on Wednesday afternoon.
• The Royal Navy's Devonport-based bomb disposal team was sent to the site and confirmed it as a 50kg (110lb) German World War Two bomb.
• A 400m (1,312ft) cordon was put in place around the area and people were asked to leave their homes.

Image source, Plymouth City Council

• Police closed a number of roads and asked people to evacuate their homes and avoid the area.
• Disposal work was paused overnight on Wednesday due to the darkness and a need for additional equipment and the cordon was reduced to 100m (328ft).

• Specialist X-ray equipment arrived on the site on Thursday afternoon allowing disposal teams to assess the best way to move the bomb.

• At about 23:00 on Thursday the council announced about 800 residents were being asked to leave their homes so the bomb could be transported to the marina and out to sea.

• The device was destroyed in a controlled explosion and the cordon was lifted at 02:50 on Friday.

The leader of East Devon District Council has been at Exmouth LED Leisure Centre and says the area is going back to business as usual.

"It's amazing really, it's surreal, suddenly you get that sense of freedom," councillor Paul Arnott said.

"I think the civil operation that's been mounted here, the co-operation between the LED staff, district officers, county council officers, the people of Exmouth Town Council as well, it has been remarkable. "The patience with which the people of Exmouth responded to this is a real surprise."

East Devon District Council workers have enjoyed a cup of tea and a chocolate muffin after being on call overnight in case the bomb in Exmouth detonated.

The team is now helping to clear up Exmouth LED Leisure Centre where people who were evacuated went for support with some staying the night on Wednesday and Thursday.

An Exmouth business owner and resident says she is relieved to be able to return to her home and business now a cordon put in place due to an unexploded World War Two bomb found in the marina on Wednesday has been lifted.

Fiona Bolt was able to stay at other accommodation whilst people were not allowed to return to their homes within the cordon zone.

"It's been a wake up call, an eye opener of what goes on, we've had a little snippet of how life can be thrown into turmoil," she said.

"I feel so sorry now for people who live through this day-in-day-out, because I think I've been on high alert the whole time, just trying to cope with what's coming along and changes to your daily routine."

Bolt said she was "so relieved to be able to go back to normal and go home".

"We will get back to normal, but it wont leave your head."

Having been home to Exmouth residents evacuated after a World War Two bomb was dredged up a leisure centre is returning to normal.

The LED reopened at 08:00 on Friday with classes starting from 10:00 after the council told residents earlier the cordon had been lifted and they were "free to return to their homes and continue with their daily lives".

In terms of the bedding used at the centre the camp beds were loaned by the Scouts, the mats and sleeping bags were from the Devon County Council store, the packaged duvets are going to be gifted to homelessness charities and the used duvets are to go to animal shelters.

Col Darren Fisher says it was important to identify which type of fuse was used in the bombs to ensure they would not detonate when being moved.

"Having to X-ray and trying to understand the types of fuse that was in both those devices was key," he says.

"Really the complexity of the task was the state in which those devices were and also the positioning in which they were found by the operators to identify that fuse."

"That's why it was important for us to keep the safety of the public and the safety of our people at the forefront of our minds to understand what we were dealing with," said Fisher.He added the operation had been a success and it was thanks to a "huge team effort".

Image source, Mike “Sprat” Smith

BBC Radio Devon is on an outside broadcast in Exmouth and has been hearing from residents and those involved in the operation to remove a World War Two bomb.

• Listen live or listen back here

Due to the World War Two bomb in Exmouth Lawrence known as Lol and his wife Sue were evacuated from their home and stayed at the town's LED Leisure Centre.

Lol said: "The last 24 hours we have lived in the leisure centre, it's been magnificent from the top to the bottom, everyone has been smiley faced, we've all enjoyed it.

"We bought a couple of bottles of wine last night, we've had fish and chips, I thought we'd been on holiday."

He said: "Anybody tells me we've lost our spirit in this country, I'd say we've got it back."

Sue said: "I didn't want to leave my home but it's nice that we have a home to go back to."

She said sleeping in the leisure centre was very comfortable and she had the "best night's sleep in ages".

Lol added they were planning on going on holiday soon - and joked they might go back to the leisure centre.

The evacuations due to the bomb being dredged up in Exmouth Marina could have gone on a lot longer if it wasn't for the experts, a senior police officer has said.

Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Leaper, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "Everyone has pulled in really long hours to get this safely to a conclusion with minimum hours.

"We didn't want this going on for days and days.

She said: "Luckily some people were only out of their houses for a couple of nights, but this could have gone on, but because of the experts in their fields we've managed to bring it to a safe conclusion quite quickly."

The bomb dredged up on Wednesday was destroyed in a controlled explosion at 08:13.

The manager of the leisure centre which housed people evacuated from their homes within the cordon zone in Exmouth has said her doing a 25 hour shift to help people was "well worth it".

Emma Kessie said about 100 people stayed in the makeshift accommodation on Wednesday night and about 20 people on Thursday.

Kessie said: "The people who were sleeping here or just sitting here for the day have been incredible and had such enthusiasm and positivity."

She said the leisure centre had seen donations of soup, cake and bedding, as well as other food from the local community and businesses.

"The level of support and response has just been incredible.

"We stayed up having teas and coffees, I was doing microwavable meals at three in the morning... it was just great, it was a great vibe."

She added the atmosphere was a "bit like a party with all the food you could imagine".

On the length of her shift she said “needs must” but it was “well worth it”.

Kessie thanked her staff and said they were “just incredible” and that she was “super proud” to be the manager at the centre.

Two major incidents that involved two WW2 bombs in two parts of Devon at the same time was "unprecedented" said Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Leaper from Devon and Cornwall Police.

She said it was "wonderful" that both incidents had been "safely executed".

"I'm really proud that all agencies worked together and we can bring it to a safe conclusion.

"My officers and staff have worked tirelessly. We didn't want this to go on for days and days.

"I'm just glad to see these two major incidents have come to a conclusion."

She added the successful outcome was a "team effort" with many authorities involved and she also thanked those who had volunteered.

"I can't thank enough the residents of Exmouth... to get out of their homes when we needed them to was absolutely deeply appreciated," said Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Leaper from Devon and Cornwall Police.

Thousands of people were within the 600m cordon and were evacuated from their homes.

She said: "I can't thank them enough. It's their sanctuary, their home."

Leaper said it was a 250kg World War Two bomb, which had two fuses and "I am pleased to say it is out to sea ready to be detonated".

Hattie McCann
BBC Devon

It's a very different picture here at Exmouth LED Leisure Centre this morning. Empty chairs, empty tables, all very quite and a sense of relief is the thing I've noticed the most.

Yesterday when I was here there was a lot of nervous energy. You could feel the stress in the air, the unknown. People not knowing whether they'd be spending another night here, or two nights, or three nights, or when they'd be going back to their homes.

About 20 people spent the night here, there are about five left.

The leisure centre is opening as normal at 08:00 this morning.

People will return to their normal lives, but I imagine this will stay in their memories for a long, long time.

I think it's just relief and gratitude as well, said David Reed, Conservative MP for Exmouth and Exeter East, after the cordon in the town was lifted after the successful removal of the World War Two bomb.

He praised the efforts of the agencies involved: "They've all come together to keep us safe.

"No-one wanted the situation to happen, but the agencies have stepped in, they've really looked after everyone.

"To know they were having to cover this and Plymouth it's quite difficult to conceive... very, very impressive and a massive thank you to everyone who was involved."

Reed says: "It's been really humbling to see the community come together over the last few days, local businesses have stood up, the staff at the LED [Exmouth leisure centre] have been absolutely fantastic, local people have come in, given food and helped out."

Hattie McCann
BBC Devon

With the cordon lifted in Exmouth just five people remain at the town's leisure centre.

On Thursday evening, the centre's chief operating officer Matt Wright, said: "We've been told to obviously expect a significant influx.

"The team at the moment are setting up lots of camp beds and roll mats and sleeping bags in the sports hall to try and make sure we can accommodate them all."

The centre was Exmouth's evacuation assembly point where Devon County Council and East Devon District Council staff were on hand to provide help and support.

The cordon in Exmouth has been officially lifted.

Police say the device is in place on the seabed and is due to be destroyed in a controlled explosion later this morning.

About 2,500 homes had been included in the cordon, which was extended at 21:00 on Thursday.

Image source, East Devon District Council