Shock croc warning for swimmers

SWIMMERS were warned to stay out of the Channel after French officials took seriously a claim that a crocodile had been spotted in coastal waters.

The sea off Boulogne-sur-Mer was closed to bathers on Friday while a search was carried out.

A spokesman for Boulogne-sur-Mer town hall said it was now thought the claim was "a joke".

"There was an alert for the swimmers and people who are on holiday but there was nothing in the sea," he said. "The beach wasn't closed, only the sea."

A claim of a sighting was made in a message to local newspaper La Voix du Nord.

The newspaper said an animal rescue charity, which had not been told directly of any sightings, had asked for swimmers to be asked to steer clear while a search took place, but it was now thought the claim was a prank.