A routine weekend beach walk took a startling turn for an East Lothian resident on September 28, when he discovered what appeared to be a World War II torpedo resting on the shoreline.
Rob, a 61-year-old North Berwick local, was walking his labradoodle between Muirfield Beach and Eyebroughy Beach—a stretch of coastline famed for its beauty and proximity to world-class golf courses—when he spotted a large, suspicious object at low tide.
“It was right down on the foreshore, lying between rocks,” Rob told Metro. He described the item as approximately three metres long and heavily encrusted with rust and patches of seaweed. Having frequented the beach during low tide often, he noted that the object was a recent arrival.
“My immediate reaction was one of surprise and caution, as we had heard of ordnance being washed up on this coast before,” he said. After taking photographs and recording the precise location, Rob returned home to contact the authorities. Online research quickly heightened his concerns; he discovered Coastguard imagery of similar objects explicitly identified as torpedoes.
The Coastguard instructed Rob to forward his images, promising to dispatch an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team—referred to colloquially as “the boys in green”—to assess the site. While the Coastguard later confirmed the object was deemed “safe,” they stopped short of officially identifying the item as a weapon of war.
“HM Coastguard received a report of a possible piece of ordnance on Gullane Beach at around 3pm on Friday, September 28,” a spokesperson stated. “The North Berwick Coastguard Rescue Team was sent, and Police Scotland were informed. An Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team attended and established the item was safe.”
The stretch of coast where the object was found sits just 23 miles east of Edinburgh, near the prestigious Muirfield and Renaissance golf clubs. However, the area’s tranquil reputation is often interrupted by its history as a military site. This recent discovery follows a string of similar incidents along the Scottish coast. On September 21, a 20lb artillery shell was recovered from nearby Broad Sands Beach, and in July, a highly explosive World War II bomb was discovered and subsequently detonated at Belhaven Bay.
Rob, who has encountered police cordons for similar ordnance discoveries in the past, emphasized the importance of public vigilance.
The Coastguard has reiterated its safety guidance for beachgoers: “If you find something on the beach that’s an unusual size or shape, especially if it’s rusty, it could be unexploded ordnance. Please don’t touch it or move it. Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
Disclaimer: This content is auto-generated for informational purposes only.
Source: Read Original News
