Huge mine washed up on Ayrshire coast sparks alert

A MAJOR explosive alert was sparked after a large mine washed up on the Ayrshire coast.

The mine that washed up on the coast of Scotland. Picture: PA

The coastguard was called out at around 3pm on Wednesday after the device, in the shape of a traditional sea mine, was spotted in Ardrossan, on Scotland’s west coast.

The Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team attended, and called in police to set up a cordon ensuring no members of the public could get close to the mine.

Images of the device were sent to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team at the Faslane naval base for assessment.

Police and coastguard remained on the scene until it was confirmed that the device was a practice mine used for training exercises, and as a result posed no danger to the public.

A coastguard statement read: “Arrangements were made for the object to be recovered by the Royal Navy in due course with Coastguard Incident tape placed around the object to mitigate any future callouts prior to its recovery.

“The team thereafter returned to station to complete the required paperwork and then booked off duty to return home ready to respond to the next callout.

“If you find a suspicious object on the beach which you believe may be some form or ordnance, don’t touch or move it.

“If you are unsure or have any doubts at all then don’t take any risks and keep yourself and the people you’re with safe. Keep your distance and dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

Last month, part of Crieff was sealed off by police after a man hunting for old coins came across an unexploded World War II bomb while a controlled explosion was carried out on a World War II bomb found in the Borders by two workmen in July of last year.

It is believed that there could be more than 1,500 World War II bombs buried beneath Scotland’s towns, cities and villages.

A reported 1,677 unexploded bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe remain active across the country and in June 2012, bomb disposal experts said that they were called out to an average of 138 instances of unexploded ordnance being discovered.

Around 21,000 bombs are believed to be buried across Britain while there are estimated to be nearly 200,000 unexploded mines from both world wars scattered around the coast of the UK.