Image source, Plymouth City Council

Volunteers from the council, Plymouth Community Homes and Southway Community Group are on hand to help those who have been evacuated from their homes at the community hub.

Roger and Anya, two of the many volunteers from Southway Community Group, have been running a community cafe at the evacuation centre.

The council says: "If you are being asked to leave your home, please go to the centre for support and a cup of tea."

The zone is centred on Flamborough Road, and has two schools within it and another on the edge.

All three are closed:

• Oakwood Primary School
• Little Acrons Pre-School
• Beechwood Primary School

More than 1,200 homes are also affected.

John Acres at Breakfast on BBC Radio Devon has all the latest updates from Southway as explosive experts deal with a suspected World War Two device.

Local bomb disposal specialists will not be able to make the device safe until they are reassured the area has been evacuated, Plymouth City Council says.

"Whilst we appreciate that it is inconvenient, we do ask that people support this evacuation for the safety of themselves and others," it says.

Lisa Clarke who was evacuated from her home last night, says her "history buff" 11-year-old son has been "quite excited" by the incident."He is having his own little World War Two story courtesy of the Luftwaffe," she explains.

"It’s quite the adventure for [for him]."

The council says work is "ongoing" to evacuate about 1,260 households within the 400m safety cordon.

Police, supported by volunteers from a number of organisations, are continuing door-to-door visits to provide residents with information and to "encourage people to leave their homes for their own safety".

Since the Youth and Community Centre opened its doors to provide shelter, the council says it has supported more than 50 residents who required additional help - placing about 25 households in temporary accommodation.

The centre remains open.

Lisa Clarke left her home within the exclusion zone with her son and sprocker spaniel Angus at about 21:00.

"It was sort of all hands to the pump to get out of the house," she says.

"There was a flurry of activity we could see our neighbours starting to pack as well.

"Bless my friends and family as the phone started ringing with offers of places to go as they realised we were within the cordon.

"It looks like its going to be a minimum of two nights that we are going to be out - so luckily we have lots of offers of places to go."

Angela Kalwaites
BBC Radio Devon, from the scene in Southway

The Southway area of Plymouth is quite quiet at the moment.

I've seen some dog walkers and people are smiling.

This morning I am hoping to meet with and speak to those who have been taking shelter at Southway Community Hub on Hendwell Close.

The Royal Navy's unexploded ordnance specialists have been working through the night to continue their assessment of the device and to determine the safest way to make it secure.

The council says it's supporting this work by supplying "large quantities" of sand to help ensure the device remains stable while specialist operations continue.

Image source, Getty Images

There were more than 50 bombing attacks on Plymouth between 1941 and 1944 killing 1,178 civilians in the area.

Official records estimate that at least 2,820 bombs fell on the city with about 10% failing to detonate.

Zhara Simpson
BBC South West

Devon and Cornwall Police say about 1,250 properties within the cordon will be impacted.

Insp Gareth Hammett, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said the ordnance was a suspected unexploded WW2 device.

He added the police endeavoured to "resolve this incident as quickly as possible".

"We do not underestimate the impact and the inconvenience... but we'd also like to reassure the public that we're working quickly and closely with our partners to try and bring this incident to a conclusion," he continued.

Plymouth City Council says due to the "evolving situation" in the Southway area, schools within the 400m (1,300ft) cordon will be closed today.

They are:

• Oakwood Primary School
• Little Acrons Pre-School
• Beechwood Primary School

The council says although the latter is not within the cordon, it sits close to the affected area and as a precaution, and to avoid potential disruption should the cordon need to be expanded following further assessment by military bomb disposal experts, the school is being advised not to open.

Beechwood Primary Academy said on social media: "Beechwood school will be closed tomorrow due to an emergency situation with a suspected unexploded bomb within the vicinity of the school."

Plymouth City Council put a 200m (650ft) cordon in place at 18:15 BST and extended it to 400m (1,300ft) two hours later.

Police confirmed on Thursday morning the cordon was still in place, centred on Flamborough Road.

Image source, Plymouth City Council

Plymouth City Council says it does not know how long the cordon will remain in place and, on Wednesday evening, asked those affected to make arrangements to stay with friends or family for two nights.

People who have been evacuated have been advised to:

• Leave windows open where possible
• Turn off the stop tap to isolate water to their property
• Take enough clothes and essential items for the next two days, including medications or medical equipment, hygiene items and essentials for babies and children, such as nappies, formula, bottles, food and comfort items
• Bring a power pack or charger for mobile phones, hearing aids or other essential devices
• Take important household documents
• Take supplies for pets

Those who are unable to make alternative arrangements for overnight accommodation have been asked to contact the council on 01752 668 000 (or 0808 230 6500 if you are a PCH tenant) and go to Southway Youth and Community Centre on Hendwell Close.

Image source, UGC

More than 1,000 homes have been evacuated and people have asked to leave for up to two days after a suspected unexploded World War Two device was found in Devon.

The device was located at a building site in the Southway area of Plymouth at about 14:30 BST on Wednesday.

Military bomb disposal experts advised Plymouth City Council to extend a cordon from 200m (650ft) to 400m (1,300ft) to allow its specialist teams to "continue their work safely".

Devon and Cornwall Police said the centre of the cordon was at Flamborough Road and expected about 1,200 homes to be evacuated which it described as "unsettling".

Schools within the cordon and just outside have also been advised to close by the council.