BUDE Coastguard Rescue Team was paged to Saltstone near Wanson Bay on Saturday night after a member of the public reported discovering a possible unexploded ordnance.

Although on scene the coastguard quickly identified it as one that had been previously declared harmless several years ago, photographs were passed on to the Coastguard Operations Centre in Falmouth, who then forwarded them on to the Royal Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EODU).

The EODU did not believe the item to be an immediate threat, but decided it would send a team to inspect it the following morning.

Bude Coastguard Rescue Team mustered at the station at 7.30am on Sunday, June 24, and then awaited the arrival of the EODU at the item.

An incident command area was formed at the Outdoor Adventure centre on the cliffs nearby. Devon and Cornwall Police were also in attendance.

Although the bomb disposal team believed the item to be of no threat, it was unable to make a positive identification. Removal of the item was not an option due to its size and embedded position under heavy rocks. To aid identification it decided to remove one end of the item with a 1kg explosive charge in order to be able to see inside.

Under the EODU’s instruction, it was decided that a large cordon should be put in place as a safety measure, covering the immediate cliff tops and nearby beaches. At this point, Boscastle Coastguard Team was paged to assist in the cordon. Police also closed off the Bude-Crackington Haven road.

Once all areas had been declared safe by the coastguard officer-in-charge, the EODU detonated the charge. The resulting blast was heard three miles away in Bude.

After a final check of the object had been performed by the EODU, the area was declared safe and the cordon was lifted. All members of the Coastguard Rescue Teams made their way back to the command point for a debrief and subsequently returned to their respective stations. The item was thought to be a dummy anti-shipping mine from World War Two.

• Remember, if you see an item on the beach that you believe to be suspicious, do not touch it, just make a note of its position, then dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.