**More than 1,000 people living in two villages in North Yorkshire are to be asked to leave their homes to allow a huge World War II bomb to be made safe.**The 500lb (227kg) device was found in a field near Ebberston on Sunday by enthusiasts who are excavating a plane which crashed in the area in the 1940s.
Ebberston and nearby Pickering will be evacuated in the afternoon for the bomb to be destroyed in a controlled blast.
Police said the primary objective was to ensure the safety of villagers.
‘Essential operation’
An RAF team will be responsible for carrying out the controlled explosion at 1500 BST, police said.
A 300m cordon placed around the field where the bomb was found will be extended to more than a kilometre when the detonation takes place.
The nearby A170 will also be closed for a short period.
Acting Assistant Chief Constable Steve Read said the main objective was to “ensure the safety of people, their animals and their property”.
He added: "We rely upon the co-operation of members of the public to assist us to complete this unforeseen but essential operation safely and speedily.
“Disruption to the everyday life of the area will be kept to a minimum.”