Two villages will be evacuated today so a giant Second World War bomb can be destroyed in a controlled explosion.

More than 1,000 people will be moved from their homes in Ebberston and Allerston, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, this afternoon before the 500lb bomb is made safe by an RAF team.

The device was discovered on Sunday in a field near Ebberston by enthusiasts who are excavating, under licence, a Second World War plane which crashed in the area in 1940.

According to one report, the bomb was found in the bucket of a digger.

A 300 metre cordon has been placed around the area but this will be extended to more than a kilometre when the detonation takes place.

The nearby A170 will also be closed for a short period, North Yorkshire Police said.

Senior officers said a multi-agency operation was under way to ensure the safety of people in the area.

Acting Assistant Chief Constable Steve Read said: "Members of the community of the Ebberston/Allerston area can be assured that North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire County Council, Ryedale District Council, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, North Yorkshire Fire and rescue service and other partners, share a principal objective - to ensure the safety of people, their animals and their property.

"We rely upon the cooperation 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."