Bomb disposal experts were made to sweat even more than usual when they were tasked with defusing an explosive device after the time limit expired, 35 years ago.

Panic spread after a national newspaper received a bomb threat at 12.25am on January 28, 1975, claiming a device had been planted outside a Putney High Street shoe shop.

A man, speaking with an accent but not linking himself with any particular group, said: “A bomb is due to go off in Easiephit shoe shop, Putney High Street, in 10 minutes.”

Immediately after receiving the warning, police began a mass evacuation of the area by touring streets with loud hailers, waking many residents.

Beatrice Barrett, who lived in an adjoining shop, hurried out of her home as soon as she heard the warning announcements.

She said: “We wondered where was the safest place to go.

“We decided to get away from any glass, so we went to the back of the building.

“We did not know at that time the bomb had been planted next door.”

Opposite the shop, 69-year-old Vivian Barnett was forced to rush outside wearing only her dressing gown, cradling her dog.

However, good-natured police officers offered her a seat in their squad car in Chelverton Road during the dramatic defusal.

Most evacuees gathered at the Wimpy Bar near Putney Bridge Road while officers closed the high street to traffic.

The threat was made at a time when the bomb squad was already stretched, having been called out to deal with several reported explosions across the capital.

And by the time explosives experts from Scotland Yard arrived, the time limit had already passed.

The 10lb bomb, consisting of 24 6oz sticks of gelignite, a detonator and a watch, was found in a plastic bag. It was safely defused by 12.50am.

A police spokesman said: “If the bomb had exploded, it would have had a blast effect over a distance of 900ft.”

Two men were picked up in Fairlight Road, Tooting, and interviewed by bomb squad officers later that day.

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