LONDON: London City Airport announced its closure on Sunday after a WorldWar Two bomb was discovered in the nearby River Thames.

The ordinance was discovered in King George V Dock, close to the runway ofLondon`s most central airport, during planned works.

“A 214m (234-yard) exclusion zone has been implemented as a precaution bythe Met Police. As a result, London City Airport is currently closed,” theairport said in a statement.

Travellers were told to avoid the airport: “All passengers due to travelfrom London City on Monday are advised to contact their airline for furtherinformation.”

City Airport operates short-haul flights and is located in east London,close to the Canary Wharf business district.

The Metropolitan Police said the discovery was reported before dawn onSunday, at around 0500 GMT, and the exclusion zone was put in place at 2200GMT.

The decision was taken “to ensure that the ordnance can be safely dealtwith whilst limiting any risk to the public,” police said in a statement.

The unexploded ordnance is being dealt with by specialist police officersworking alongside the Royal Navy.

Thousands of bombs were dropped on London during the “Blitz” by German AirForces between September 1940 and May 1941.