Hundreds of families are facing a second night in two inner-city schools after being evacuated from their homes when workmen unearthed an unexploded Second World War bomb.

More than 800 people were moved from their homes to the schools last night after the 1,000lb German bomb was discovered on land near a Sunderland health centre.

Hundreds more people are believed to have spent the night with family and friends.

Army bomb disposal experts from both Catterick and Essex were sent to Wearside and were this morning still at the scene.

Major roads in the Hendon area of Sunderland were closed and a 400 metre exclusion zone was set up.

More than 100 police and staff from the local authority's emergency planning team helped evacuate houses in the Suffolk Street area, near Hendon Health Centre, where the bomb was found at teatime on Monday.

Northumbria Police said two city schools, Southmoor and Thornhill, will be closed to pupils today because of the evacuation plans.

A spokeswoman said today: ''It was found during excavation work on open ground in a heavily populated area.

''A major incident was declared and a 400 metre exclusion zone established.

''Bomb squad experts from Catterick confirmed the device was of World War Two origin and further specialist military personnel were deployed from Essex.

''The exclusion zone and associated road closures will remain in place until the device is made safe.

''We don't know when this will be but the operation is expected to take some time.''