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Member of public picked up wartime shell from beach

Shivani Chaudhari
BBC News, Essex
HM Coastguard Southend-on-Sea A stretch of beach, with a wooden pier or large wooden jetty in the background, and the sea in the distance. In the foreground, a fountain of sand is spraying into the air - caused by the detonation.HM Coastguard Southend-on-Sea
HM Coastguard said the events on Tuesday should serve as a "clear example"

Army officers carried out a controlled explosion of an anti-aircraft shell on a beach after a member of the public picked it up.

HM Coastguard at Southend-on-Sea said the person picked up what appeared to be a World War Two ordnance at Shoeburyness on Tuesday.

An explosive ordnance disposal team carried out the detonation later that afternoon.

The stretch of beach is operated by the Ministry of Defence and is off limits to the public.

A coastguard spokesperson said: "Today was a clear example that by ignoring such warning signs and entering this restricted area you may come across live ordnance on these beaches and mud flats."

HM Coastguard Southend The shell lying flat on the sand. It is unclear how large it is, but it is brown and very rusted.HM Coastguard Southend
The member of the public picked up the shell, but placed it next to the HM Coastguard station building after realising what it might be

The spokesperson said the member of the public placed the ordnance beside the HM Coastguard station at West Slip when they realised what it might be, and called 999.

The coastguard team put a 100m (328ft) cordon in place, covering Shoebury Common Beach, the adjoining nature reserve and the car park behind Ness Road.

They added: "Because these items can be so dangerous, if you ever see something suspicious or out of the ordinary on the beach or in the sea, do not touch it, move it or take it home."

The cordon was lifted at 18:25 BST.

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