WWII bomb detonated in Germany, 8,500 evacuated

German police evacuated 8,500 people for several hours today so they could move an unexploded American World War Two bomb found near the northern city of Bremen to a safe place for detonation.

Disposal experts detonated the 500 kilogramme aerial bomb, found in a residential area in the town of Vechta, in a controlled explosion after attempts to defuse it failed.

"The bomb was discovered early this year through analysis of Belgian aerial images. It was brought to a detonation area and exploded, nobody was hurt," town spokesman Frank Kaethler said.

Unexploded bombs are often found in Germany, which had many of its major cities bombed to ruins during the war, but it is rare for so many people to be evacuated.