According to one official, the timer had gone off but the bomb had not exploded, and he admitted "If it had done, it could have damaged the track and caused a derailment".
The bomb must have been planted in the 10 previous to it being found, as this is when the lines were last checked by railway staff. It was situated in an area where the trains slow down as they approach Angers, about 5km away. Housing is found at some 200m from this point and various residents had to be evacuated Tuesday lunchtime while bomb disposal experts were investigating the scene.
