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Fire crews deal with bomb as homes evacuated and cordon thrown around Margate Road, Broadstairs

A road has now reopened after bomb disposal experts were called to reports of a WWII bomb in Broadstairs.

Fire crews were called out at 2.15pm today, and Margate Road was shut as rescuers dealt with the incident.

A 200m cordon was thrown around the area, between New Cross Road and Haine Road.

Fire crews are at the incident near Westwood Cross shopping centre. Picture: @ChrisLStark
Fire crews are at the incident near Westwood Cross shopping centre. Picture: @ChrisLStark
A road has been shut and a cordon thrown around the area. Picture: @ChrisLStark
A road has been shut and a cordon thrown around the area. Picture: @ChrisLStark

The road has now reopened.

The MoD confirmed members of the explosive ordnance disposal team were sent to Thanet from Shorncliffe.

Reports on social media say a WWII bomb was discovered at the site, which is near the Westwood Cross shopping centre.

The complex's car park was said to have been closed earlier, but the site is now back to normal.

Dan Harwood, assistant manager at the Canterbury Bell pub, said: "We were told to evacuate - they are building a hotel next door and the workmen found something they thought was a bomb. "But luckily they turned out to be duds, left over from the cadet training years ago. One of them had 'practice' written on the side. The call to evacuate came just at the pub's busy lunchtime service, but managers did not hesitate to clear the building. "Obviously we're back in now, but money is nothing compared to life so when they said evacuate we just said forget paying, everyone out. "Now we're just trying to clear up the carnage."The evacuation lasted about an hour, and the road has now been reopened. Police later confirmed the bombs were in fact training rounds, which had no explosive payload, and were removed from the site by the bomb disposal team.

Emergency vehicles near Westwood Cross. Picture: Ronnie Carman
Emergency vehicles near Westwood Cross. Picture: Ronnie Carman

A police statement said: "Kent Police was called at 2.19pm to reports of a number of suspected old wartime unexploded bombs discovered in Margate Road, Broadstairs.

"The area was cordoned off as a precaution and traffic diversions put in place. Explosive ordnance disposal experts liaised with police.

"Three items were recovered and identified as training rounds. The cordon was lifted at 3.22pm."

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