16th November, 2019
West Ham’s upcoming fixtures at home against Tottenham and Arsenal may be postponed after a bomb that dates back to World War Two has reportedly been found just yards away from its London Stadium.
Ongoing work on an apartment development nearby had to be halted after the bomb was discovered on Friday morning.
According to The Sun, Police officers have set up a 150-metre cordon around the site after they were called to the scene just before midday.
The area has been declared safe by experts for the time being, with a specialist mining team set to attend the site on November 25.
West Ham’s fixtures with Tottenham and Arsenal scheduled for November 23 and December 9 respectively are now under threat of postponement if there is any change in the safety status of the site.
Although the Hammers clash with Tottenham next Saturday, November 23 is due to go ahead as planned due to the timeframe of the visit from specialists.
A source told the Sun: “We think it is an unexploded bomb.
“It’s crazy to think of all the people walking around here during the Olympics and we had no idea it was here.
“The bomb is in a tricky position, so it could take up to two weeks to sort it out, which takes us into the second week of December.
“Between now and 25 November teams will be putting together a plan of what to do.”
However, despite suggestions that the object is a bomb, a spokesman for the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) who handle Olympic Park, were keen to stress the item is as yet unidentified.
A spokesman confirmed there was “an unexplained metal object found during site works in the south of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park”.
But added: “Following further investigations, the police are satisfied that the cordon can be lifted and the site has now been handed back to the construction company.