‘It’s a buoy’ say bomb disposal team

EMERGENCY services called to deal with a suspected explosive device found on a busy beach have confirmed it was a buoy – not a bomb.

Police were alerted to a suspicious device found on the sand at the main beach at Dawlish at 4.51pm on Thursday.

From the photos taken of the object, its exact nature couldn’t be identified, but caution was taken and access to the area restricted as the initial caller believe it to be a World War Two device.

The Royal Nayy Explosive Ordnance

Disposal Team were called to the scene but upon arrival, they confirmed that rather than being an explosive device, it was just an old buoy that had been buried.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: “We had a call from a member of the public reporting a suspicious object on Dawlish beach which they believed could be a WW2 bomb.

“It couldn’t be identified from the pictures, so the Royal Nayy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team was sent to the scene.

“Upon arrival, they identified that it was a buoy, not a bomb, but we thank the public for their cooperation.”

The spokesman added that at 7.32pm it was confirmed that there was no risk of harm to the public and access to the beach would be allowed again.

HM Coastguard crews were also sent to the scene.

The beaches of South Devon were used extensively for live ammunition training in the lead up to D-Day in 1940. Emergency services stress it is always best to treat unusual objects with caution.