Central Berlin evacuated after Second World War bomb dropped by Britain is found

The centre of Berlin has been evacuated after the discovery of a Second World War bomb dropped by Britain.

The central railway station, economy ministry and the natural history museum have all been closed to the public while bomb disposal experts deal with the explosive.

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said it expected long-distance rail transport at the central station to be disrupted from 10am to 2pm local time (8am to 12pm GMT).

The operator said trains would stop at other stations in Berlin instead.

Buses, trams and local train services in Berlin were also disrupted and the road where the 500kg bomb was discovered during building work has been closed.

Police began evacuating all buildings within an 800-metre radius of the bomb at 9am local time.

They posted a video on Twitter showing officers walking up the stairs in an apartment building with the caption: "We're not bringing room service or breakfast in bed but a personal wake-up call... Residents are being asked to leave their homes due to the bomb from the World War being defused."

Flights from Berlin's Tegel airport are not affected but passengers have been warned that public transport to the city's two airports - Tegel and Schoenefeld - would be disrupted.

More than 70 years after the war ended, Germany still discovers more than 2,000 tonnes of live bombs and munitions every year.

In 2017 about 60,000 people had to leave their homes in Frankfurt after a massive bomb dropped by the RAF was unearthed.