Bomb team detonates artillery shell on beach

A bomb disposal team has carried out an explosion of an artillery shell found on a beach.

Maryport and Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue teams were called to help the explosive ordnance unit dispose of the shell that was found on Maryport's South Shore on Sunday.

A safety cordon was put in place ahead of the detonation of the device in a controlled explosion on Monday.

Several shells and other ordnance have been discovered over the past year on Cumbria's west coast, including eight suspected explosive items found on Drigg beach in the past month alone.

The Coastguard advises anyone who comes across suspected ordnance to avoid touching or moving the item and instead gather a grid reference and phone 999.

Teams were also called to Silloth on Sunday to reports of another suspected washed up ordnance.

However Maryport Coastguard Rescue Team confirmed it was a large gas canister which has been "taped up ready for the council to collect".

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