Malfunctioning metal detector sparks mass evacuation of a beach after alarm was raised over ‘wartime ordnance’
- The metal detectorist raised the alarm at Ainsdale Beach, Southport, on Sunday
- But the false alert was down to a dodgy metal detector, Merseyside Police said
A malfunctioning metal detector led to the mass evacuation of a Merseyside beach after it raised fears a bomb had been found.
The metal detectorist thought they had found the ‘unexploded wartime ordnance’ at Ainsdale Beach, Southport, on Saturday.
Beachgoers were quickly evacuated from part of the beach – roughly the size of a football pitch – as it was inspected by police.
But nothing was found and the false alarm was down to the dodgy metal detector, police said.
Full public access to the beach has now been restored, according to Merseyside Police.
The metal detectorist thought they had found the ‘unexpolded wartime ordnance’ at Ainsdale Beach, Southport, on Sunday
But nothing was found and the false alarm was down to the dodgy metal detector, police said
Families were able to remain at the beach beyond the cordon while the checks were in place, with eyewitnesses describing the scene as calm with people enjoying the sunshine.
Pictures showed a number of police vehicles at the scene including quad bikes and a 4×4.
A Sefton Council spokesman said yesterday the action taken was a ‘joint decision to evacuate the beach due to the discovery of potential unexploded wartime ordinance.’
They added that this was a ‘wholly precautionary measure while emergency services continue to deal with the incident.’
