A malfunctioning metal detector led to a popular Merseyside beach being dramatically evacuated over fears it had located a ‘wartime ordnance’.
Ainsdale beach, one of the main attractions in the region during summertime, was quickly evacuated earlier this morning, Saturday June 24 , after a metal detectorist believed they'd located what Sefton Council described as “potential wartime ordnance”. With fears the finding could be an unexploded device, the emergency services were called and the beach was cleared.
The Shore Road entrance to the beach was closed with Sefton Council saying the measures were being carried out as a precaution. Anyone in the immediate vicinity was asked to temporarily vacate the area as a part of beach the size of a football pitch was cordoned off by police.
READ MORE: Glastonbury 2023 live: Saturday headliners Guns N Roses
A number of police vehicles attended the scene including quad bikes and a 4x4. Pictures later showed officers working around a hole in the centre of the cordon.
It has now been confirmed by Merseyside Police that nothing was found within the cordon and the incident was in fact sparked by a malfunctioning metal detector. Merseyside Police said it was a “false alarm” raised with “good intentions” and that the force wrapped up at the scene in the mid afternoon.
Half of the car park and a section of the beach was cordoned off while enquiries were made but full public access to the beach has now been restored, according to Merseyside Police. 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.
In the most recent update at 1pm today, a Sefton Council spokesperson said the action taken was a “joint decision this [morning] 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.”
Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here
