Emergency services were called in after a suspicious object was found on a West Cumbrian beach.
Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team was tasked yesterday morning May 5 to investigate a piece of possible ordnance on Nethertown Beach.
Due to the time and tide state when the item was first found, on arrival the item had been covered by the incoming tide.
Luckily, it allowed the team to identify the exact time the object would be uncovered on the next tide.
The team attended again in the evening to find the object and establish a cordon for public safety. Cumbria Police were also in attendance.
It was soon exposed by the sea and the team were able to take the relevant details and photos to pass on to their Coordination Centre.
Speaking with their officer in charge, coordination centre staff and bomb disposal, all parties quickly established it was not ordnance and did not present an environmental hazard.
The strange item is believed to possibly be an old DIY rear ballast for a three point linkage tractor.
A spokesman for the team said: “As always, we want to thank the first informant for reporting what they deemed a suspicious item. Items when partially covered by water or sand can look very different on each tide and when fully exposed like in the photo below.
“On occasion dangerous ordnance and time expired pyrotechnic items do get found on our coastline locally and around the UK. We would much rather attend and assess these items to deem them inert or work with the required agencies to make them safe.”
