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| Unexploded bombs: How common are they? | Unexploded bombs: How common are they? |
| (2 days later) | |
| An unexploded World War Two bomb found near London City Airport has been detonated. | An unexploded World War Two bomb found near London City Airport has been detonated. |
| But just how common are these type of discoveries? | But just how common are these type of discoveries? |
| Since 2010, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) says it has been involved with making safe 450 German WW2 bombs - about 60 per year. | Since 2010, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) says it has been involved with making safe 450 German WW2 bombs - about 60 per year. |
| Unfortunately we do not have data pre-2010, so we cannot say if the rate of discovery has risen or fallen in the years since 1945. | Unfortunately we do not have data pre-2010, so we cannot say if the rate of discovery has risen or fallen in the years since 1945. |
| Also, these figures do not take into account the involvement of private companies. | Also, these figures do not take into account the involvement of private companies. |
| Aside from the military (supported by the police, fire and ambulance services), unexploded devices are also disposed of by private individuals - usually with a military background - as well as a few specialist companies. | Aside from the military (supported by the police, fire and ambulance services), unexploded devices are also disposed of by private individuals - usually with a military background - as well as a few specialist companies. |
| This makes it difficult to establish exactly how many items are dealt with each year as the data is not officially collated from different sources. | This makes it difficult to establish exactly how many items are dealt with each year as the data is not officially collated from different sources. |
| Zetica, a company that specialises in the recovery and disposal of unexploded bombs, estimates that the leading private sector firms deal with around 8,000 items collectively each year. | Zetica, a company that specialises in the recovery and disposal of unexploded bombs, estimates that the leading private sector firms deal with around 8,000 items collectively each year. |
| That includes bombs, grenades and mortars. | That includes bombs, grenades and mortars. |
| Mike Sainsbury, Zetica's managing director, says it is impossible to date some items. | Mike Sainsbury, Zetica's managing director, says it is impossible to date some items. |
| "There's not much difference nowadays between a two inch 1940s mortar and an 1980s one - apart from a bit of more rust," he says. | "There's not much difference nowadays between a two inch 1940s mortar and an 1980s one - apart from a bit of more rust," he says. |
| This makes it very difficult to establish what proportion of overall ordnance comes from WW2. | This makes it very difficult to establish what proportion of overall ordnance comes from WW2. |
| Other discovered items could be more recent and originate from training exercises, for example. | Other discovered items could be more recent and originate from training exercises, for example. |
| - How much of a threat are unexploded bombs? | - How much of a threat are unexploded bombs? |
| Only a small fraction of these discoveries end up in the news. | Only a small fraction of these discoveries end up in the news. |
| The ones that do appear in the headlines tend to be particularly large devices, which sometimes lead to evacuations of the surrounding area. | The ones that do appear in the headlines tend to be particularly large devices, which sometimes lead to evacuations of the surrounding area. |
| Most of the high explosive WW2 ordnance is buried very deep and it is often discovered by construction workers. | |
| It is therefore unlikely that members of the public will stumble across one. | It is therefore unlikely that members of the public will stumble across one. |
| The German WW2 bombing campaign tended to focus on strategic locations. | The German WW2 bombing campaign tended to focus on strategic locations. |
| This meant that major UK cities or areas with important features, such as railway junctions or ports, were key targets. | This meant that major UK cities or areas with important features, such as railway junctions or ports, were key targets. |
| The table below sets out the official records of World War Two bombing in the UK's major towns and cities. | The table below sets out the official records of World War Two bombing in the UK's major towns and cities. |
| The MoD told BBC Reality Check that around 10% of the bombs dropped over the UK during World War Two did not explode. | The MoD told BBC Reality Check that around 10% of the bombs dropped over the UK during World War Two did not explode. |
| The typical German World War Two bomb was either 50kg or 250kg. | The typical German World War Two bomb was either 50kg or 250kg. |
| Larger bombs (500kg or 1,000kg) become more frequent towards the end of the war. | Larger bombs (500kg or 1,000kg) become more frequent towards the end of the war. |
| London City Airport is the site of the fourth 500kg bomb the MoD has dealt with in the last 15 months. | London City Airport is the site of the fourth 500kg bomb the MoD has dealt with in the last 15 months. |
| The others were: Bath (May 2016), Portsmouth (September 2016) and London (March 2017). | The others were: Bath (May 2016), Portsmouth (September 2016) and London (March 2017). |
| Read more from Reality Check | Read more from Reality Check |
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