Live WW2 German Bomb Found Near Wembley Unexploded

A dangerous bomb left unexploded from World War II was found Thursday by construction workers near London's Wembley Stadium, the BBC reported. The bomb was believed to date to German air raids on London in the early 1940s.

The unexploded bomb was "a genuine risk to life," the British army said, according to the BBC. A 1,300-foot-long cordon was set, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people near Wembley, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement, the Economic Times reported. Evacuations of more than 300 properties included a studio of the popular television show "Britain's Got Talent."

The 110-pound bomb was found less than 700 feet from the stadium. It was removed by an army specialist and safely detonated away from the area, the BBC reported. The army emphasized the danger posed by what was perhaps a more than 70-year-old device: "This bomb is a live munition in a potentially dangerous condition so it's important that people listen to the police and evacuate their homes if asked," an army spokesperson said, according to the BBC.

"Any bomb, even under a controlled explosion, could cause significant damage to property, and there is a genuine risk to life."

After the bomb was taken away and safely defused, people were allowed to return to the area. Despite all the drama, Wembley is expected to return to normal this weekend. The football matches -- what the Yanks call soccer games -- scheduled for the weekend will go ahead as planned.

Mick Gallagher, chief superintendent of police in the borough of Brent, where Wembley Stadium is located, called the public's response to the bomb "very mature," according to the BBC. "I must also thank our courageous soldiers from various army regiments for working tirelessly for over 24 hours, using their skill and experience to safely bring this incident to its conclusion." he said.