Kingston WW2 bomb: Thousands of residents told not to return home after unexploded bomb found on nearby building site

Thousands of residents were told not to return home on Thursday night after an unexploded World War Two bomb was found in Kingston.

Kingston University, schools and residents were evacuated from the area after police were alerted to the ordnance at ;a construction site on Fassett Road on Thursday morning.

A cordon was put in place around the area, which will stay in place until 4pm on Friday.

Kingston Council said around 1,500 households had been evacuated, meaning up to 3,000 people could be unable to return home.

University students are also reportedly unable to access their halls until Friday.

Students and staff were told to leave the Penrhyn Road and Knights Park campuses after the discovery.

Kingston students union said there would be no access to halls until the cordon is lifted.

The council has set up a rest centre at The Richard Mayo Centre on Eden Street for those who were unable to return to their homes.

It said people with pets at home or who need to get medication from their properties will be escorted into the cordoned area by police.

Aisha Hussain, 25, who lives on Linkford Avenue inside the cordoned zone said she was allowed to go home and pick up her cat.

"If you down into the area barred off it is eerily quiet. But outside it is chaos," she explained.

"People are now being allowed back into their own home, and have been told they can stay there but police are not recommending it."

In a statement, Commander Mark McEwan said: "Police are on the scene. We are working alongside military specialists, other emergency services and our partners including the London Borough of Kingston.

"We are working to resolve the situation."

"Rest centres and assistance are being provided by our partners. Police patrols will continue in order to ensure the area's safety," he added.

"The operation is likely to continue throughout the night."

Ms Hussain told the Standard she was able to stay with a friend, who lives just outside the cordoned area but that "lots of people were just booking hotels".

"The level of communications have not been great. Most people don't know there is an evacuation centre."

St John's Church of England Primary School and Bedelsford School will also not be opening on Friday, the council announced.

A spokesman said: "There is a cordon in place around Penryhn Road, Beaufort Road, Beaufort Place, Fassett Road, Grove Lane, Grove Crescent, Bloomfield Road and Linkford Avenue.

"The cordon will continue to be in place until at least the afternoon of Friday 24 May.

"Staywell are offering breakfast and refreshments from 7am on Friday 24 May at the Bradbury Centre, Grange Road."

"People who have pets at home or medication they need can report to the police liaison point in the car park at County Hall, Penrhyn Road and they will be escorted into the cordoned area."

The bomb is said to have been found at a building works on the site of the old Hotel Antoinette around 9am on Thursday.

Specialist police officers examined the bomb and called in experts from the Ministry of Defence, the Met said.

Polling stations were also closed after the discovery, with those voting in the European elections being directed to other sites.

Surbiton High School was also evacuated. One parent said Year 10 exams were postponed, with one Latin exam abandoned mid-way through when the alarm was raised.