Rennes bomb alert evacuates 10,000

TEN thousand people had to be evacuated from their homes in Rennes, Brittany, while a large second World War British bomb was defused.

The 250kg bomb, containing 65kg of explosives, had been discovered during extension work on a medical centre.

Cars with loud speakers drove around the district where the bomb was located yesterday morning, telling people to leave their homes, and a helicopter crew watched to make sure the streets remained clear.

A gym was made available by the mairie to shelter people who wanted to use it.

People were allowed back into the area, which included the train station, at midday, after the bomb was taken away to be destroyed.

Coincidentally, in Metz, Moselle 4,500 people had to leave their houses while another bomb was investigated, discovered during work to build a bus depot.

A helicopter flew around the area to deter burglars from taking advantage of the empty homes.

However the “bomb” turned out to be a lump of reinforced concrete.