A giant, unexploded Second World War bomb found in the Thames cannot be safely transported and detonated today due to bad weather.

The 500kg, 1.5 metre bomb was found on Sunday (February 11) at King George V dock, next to London City Airport opposite Woolwich.

The airport had to be closed and a 214m exclusion zone had to be set up around the site, with people being temporarily evacuated from their homes as the bomb was removed.

The half-tonne bomb was removed from its original position around 6pm yesterday and was planned to be transported down the river to be detonated at a safe location.

However the Royal Navy confirmed that the transportation had to be delayed for another day as divers would be put at risk in the bad weather.

Commander Del McKnight, the commanding officer of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Diving Squadron, said: “With 30 knots of wind blowing onto the coast and sea swell of up to two metres we would be putting our divers at risk if we continued in this weather.

"The bomb presents no risk to the public in its current location, so we will leave it where it currently sits until tomorrow.

"We can then see if the weather dies down and creates a safer environment for us to destroy the ordnance.”

Once the bomb can be moved down river, Met Police said it is likely bridges along the route will have to be temporarily closed.