Hospitals evacuated in Cologne after discovery of second world war bomb

Authorities in the German city of Cologne have evacuated three hospitals and thousands of homes after the discovery of an unexploded second world war bomb during construction work on a new medical campus.

The 1,000kg US aerial bomb, equipped with a front and rear impact detonator, is due to be defused on Friday.

A complex evacuation procedure had been in the planning since excavation work on the site began about six months ago, owing to well-founded fears that unexploded ordnance would be discovered there.