A 300ft plume of smoke and a loud noise is expected to be seen and heard from Harwich today.

Royal Navy experts were expected to locate and detonate a 500-kilogram bomb off the coast.

The Second World War German bomb - possibly the largest to be washed up on Britain's coast - was found at Felixstowe earlier this week and taken to deeper water for detonation.

Strong currents have washed it out of sight of Royal Navy divers but it is believed to be within 200 metres of where it was left.

Thousands of people were evacuated from Felixstowe homes on Tuesday, while the device was dealt with.

The detonation was originally planned for Tuesday - until the currents intervened.

The Navy was confident it would locate the bomb today.