WATCH: Newtownards WII bomb explodes: Ards man recalls days the German bombs fell near his home

Clive O’Neill watched today’s events from his family farm some 1,200 metres away and videoed the massive explosion.

The bomb was found by builders in the Rivenwood area of the town on Thursday morning.

Some 400 homes were evacuated, with police saying it could take five days to resolve.

This afternoon police released a statement to confirm a controlled explosion had been carried out on the bomb.

Superintendent Johnston McDowell said: “This afternoon at approximately 15.38pm the render safe procedure of the operation was initiated and Ammunition Technical Officers (ATO) carried out a controlled explosion of a bomb, which had been discovered in the Rivenwood area of Newtownards last Thursday, 15th August.

“The munition found, which I can now confirm was identified as being an air-dropped SC-500 German bomb from World War Two, was understood to have been in and around 83-years-old, but still posed a significant risk to public safety, even after all this time.

“This was a highly complex operation that prompted the evacuation of a large number of homes within 400 metres of where the bomb was located, and local police officers worked around the clock to engage with those impacted.

“The disposal team was comprised of members of the Army’s 321 EOD & Search squadron, who alongside the police service led the major operation. They were also assisted by other emergency services and partners, who all provided expert knowledge in managing the high-risk emergency situation."

He expressed his thanks to all police and military team members who worked “day and night” to keep the public safe.

"The success of this operation is testament to the level of skill our military colleagues have,” he added.

Police will make further announcements about when it is safe for residents to return to their homes.

Local man Clive O’Neill videod the explosion from his family farm.

"The rooftops that can be seen in my video are from Movilla Mews,” he told the News Letter. “During World War Two there was a bomb which dropped in that field and exploded.”

He believes this was in April 1941.

"If you research the Blitz of Belfast, there is documentation that 13 airmen were killed in Ards airfield the night that that bomb fell.

“And the bomb they detonated today in Ards is obviously one of the German bombs which they dropped that night.

"My great grandmother told me the story as a child, that part of the shrapnel of the bomb that exploded nearby actually hit the roof of the house where I'm currently living."

He believes the army bomb experts detonated the German bomb - understood to weigh 500kg, with what is called “a controlled burn”.

"They must burn into it and then that detonates it," he adds.

Clive says the explosion was "fairly well contained" and that it appeared the main force of it went upwards and not towards nearby buildings.

A police source told him that they had done an initial inspection of nearby houses in the Old Forge area and that there was no obvious indication of any damage to homes.