Undefined Explosive Device (UED) event in Shropshire, Shrewsbury area, United Kingdom on Fri 7th October 2022

West Mercia Police were called at around 10am on Friday to the building site in Copthorne Road, Shrewsbury. A 100-metre safety cordon has been put in place and officers have urged people to avoid the area. It is the fifth time Explosive Ordnance Disposal have been called to the Copthorne Keep development, off Copthorne Road, where new homes are being built on the former Copthorne Barracks, the former home of the Army's Western Division headquarters. Police and bomb disposals units were called out in July and September to carry out controlled explosions on unexploded devices found during construction work. The barracks were constructed in the 19th century and sold by the Ministry of Defence in 2018, with planning permission later received by Bellway Homes to build 220 houses. In August Bellway said it had taken on a specialist company to see whether any more unexploded bombs could remain at the housing development. At the time it said: "Bellway has engaged a specialist company to assess whether any further devices could be present on the development. Searches have taken place in the construction and all public areas at Copthorne Keep. This company will remain on site while groundworks on the remaining plots are completed and will carry out thorough checks on each."