When a woman rang Yarmouth Police Department for the latest on last week's unexploded bomb, she didn't realise her call landed more than 3,000 miles off course.
Police updated the public on the four-day operation to detonate the 250kg explosive found close to Bollards Quay several times daily.
The major incident saw more than 200 homes evacuated inside a 200m exclusion zone, before the bomb blew up unexpectedly on Friday afternoon (February 10).
Amid the drama the woman - who has not been identified - mistakenly dialled the police department based 3,317 miles away in Yarmouth, Massachusetts.
She wanted to know whether she could visit her daughter's home on Alpha Road, close to the exclusion zone in Norfolk's Great Yarmouth - but found no answers.
"I'd like to make enquiries please about the World War Two bomb," she asked the bleary-eyed American, who said at the end of the call it was 5am in his part of the world.
"I don't know what you mean by a bomb," came the reply.
Trying to explain, the woman said: "We had to evacuate the house because of this World War Two bomb."
The woman told the operator she was in a Great Yarmouth hotel while her daughter had been evacuated and wondered whether she should book another night at the hotel.
Finally realising she had hit a dead end, the caller asked who she could call for updates before the penny finally dropped that she had dialled the wrong Yarmouth police.
"They said there was a special unit coming down from London," she said.
The operator replied: "You're calling the United States."
The woman apologised profusely and noted she had probably woken the operator up due to the time difference.
The call was then reported by the US-based newspaper, Hyannis News.
Yarmouth vs Great Yarmouth
Despite being separated by the Atlantic Ocean, both towns share a name and are prominent summer resorts in their respective countries.
However, as the chair of the Great Yarmouth Twinning Association John Stephens puts it, our Yarmouth "offers everything from a rich cultural heritage to all the modern amenities anyone would want while holidaying in the town".
Mr Stephens said: "From beaches and theatres to restaurants and amusement arcades, Great Yarmouth has it all.
"And you won't have to travel far for the vibrant countryside, as we have the Norfolk Broads and Strumpshaw Fen on our doorstep."
Yarmouth, Massachusetts was settled in 1639 as part of the Plymouth Colony - the first permanent English colony in New England - whereas Great Yarmouth was officially established at the signing of a royal charter by King John in March 1208.
Our American cousin has a population of around 24,000 people, whereas Norfolk's town has almost 39,000 residents.
There is also another Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, and other towns bearing the same name can be found in Nova Scotia, Canada, and in Iowa and Maine in the US.
The call transcript
Yarmouth PD: Good evening, Yarmouth police.
Caller: Hello, I'd like to make enquiries please about the World War Two bomb. I'm visiting my daughter who lives on Alpha Road and we checked into a hotel last night and I'm just wondering if I can go back. I believe there's to be a controlled explosion. I was just wondering did you have any idea of when we might be able to return to Alpha Road.
Yarmouth PD: Ma'am, where are you calling from?
Caller: Where am I calling from? This is an Irish phone but I'm in the comfort hotel at the moment, but my daughter lives on Alpha Road.
Yarmouth PD: In what town?
Caller: Oh, sorry, in Great Yarmouth. I thought I'd gone to the local police station.
Yarmouth PD: This is Yarmouth, yes.
Caller: Yeah.
Yarmouth PD: So, I don't know what you mean by a bomb.
Caller: Well, there was a World War Two bomb. I had the police officer knock on the door yesterday saying that we had to evacuate the house because of this World War Two bomb unexploded as it had been discovered in the digging near where they are doing the bridge.
Yarmouth PD: I don't really know too much about that.
Caller: But that was the police who came to the door, is there anybody there in the police department who could give us an update? Where should we get the most up-to-date information then?
Yarmouth PD: Uhh... where did they respond to?
Caller: I believe the policeman came around to the road. They said there was a special unit coming down from London, my daughter was able to find out information as apparently they are going to have a controlled detonation of the old bomb sometime today. So, my issue is do I check in for another night in this hotel or do I leave in the hope that I be able to return to my daughter's house sometime in the afternoon? I mean if you don't know, could you point me to where would I get the most up-to-date information on what the story is about this bomb?
Yarmouth PD: You said London?
Caller: I think we're cross practices there was a special bomb disposal group coming down from London.
Yarmouth PD: This is... you're calling the United States.
Caller: Oh sorry. I thought... my apologies, I thought this was Yarmouth in the UK.
Yarmouth PD: No, this is Yarmouth in Massachusetts, United States.
Caller: Oh my apologies, I have probably woken you up.
Yarmouth PD: OK. It's five o'clock over here.
Caller: Oh no, oh I'm so sorry. My apologies for ringing up about a bomb. My apologies. I was wondering why you seemed so clueless as I was on to the local police station. My apologies.
Yarmouth PD: Thank you, that's OK.
Caller: Bye-bye.
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