Whitehaven Coastguard along with the Maryport Team and Cumbria Police, were called out to Maryport’s north shore following reports of a suspicious item thought to be ordnance.

Arriving on the scene on Wednesday, December 26, the teams conducted an initial investigation but couldn’t identify the item.

Photos and details were taken and relayed through to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Belfast Coastguard to Bomb Disposal (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) of the Army’s Royal Logistics Corp based at Catterick.

While waiting the Coastguard teams maintained a safety cordon and awaited the arrival of Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.

After further investigation by the experts, the item was deemed safe.

From time to time, around the shoreline of the UK and here in Cumbria, old military ordnance and time expired pyrotechnics wash up or become uncovered in shifting sands on the beaches.

Whilst on this occasion it wasn’t explosive, the first informant who reported this did exactly the right thing and helped ensure public safety.