UPDATE: Operation to destroy London bomb to resume

BOMB disposal operators from Portsmouth are this morning expected to obliterate a Second World War bomb dredged up in the River Thames.
Royal Navy divers from Portsmouth are to resume their operation in London todayRoyal Navy divers from Portsmouth are to resume their operation in London today
Royal Navy divers from Portsmouth are to resume their operation in London today

The small squad from Southern Diving Unit 2 (SDU2) on Horsea Island were forced to postpone their mission yesterday due to bad weather.

A spokeswoman from the Royal Navy said the team is now working through final preparations in a bid to destroy the 500kg unexploded bomb.

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It’s hoped this will happen before midday. However, the team only has a small window of opportunity to ensure their military-grade explosives are safely attached before the weather worsens.

A Royal Navy spokeswoman said: ‘The bomb is currently on the seabed.

‘We hope will we be able to detonate the device in the next few hours.’

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The ageing device was discovered on Sunday morning during on-going work to prepare London City Airport’s future expansion.

It prompted bosses at the international transport hub to cancel all services on Monday, causing misery for thousands of holidaymakers.

Royal Navy divers arrived at the scene on Monday morning and began the painstaking operation to lift the device from the bottom of the Thames.

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The Second World War munition was then transported out into the Thames Estuary.

Plans to conduct a controlled explosion yesterday morning after high winds and strong sea swells threatened the safety of divers.