A bomb disposal team was called out after a military device was spotted by eagle-eyed beach-goers.

Coastguard teams were called to Bishopstone Glen, near Herne Bay, yesterday after a piece of ordnance was found on the seafront.

The bomb disposal unit arrived at the scene and found it to be a phosphorous flare.

It is used for military and commercial purposes and contains both explosives and red phosphorus.

Margate's coastguard was tasked to assist Herne Bay's team, but was stood down en route as it was deemed safe to transport the ordnance.

Rather than taking the device for disposal at the Dover Coastguard Operations Centre - as they would normally do with smaller devices - they contacted the army bomb disposal unit based in Folkestone.

The team deemed the device was safe for transport so took it for destruction at MoD Shoeburyness.

A statement issued by Margate's coastguard says: "We would like to thank the public for alerting us to the device and for helping us by keeping a safe distance from the device whilst it was identified and removed.

"It is not unusual for flares as well as older military equipment from the Second World War, to wash up on our stretch of the coastline.

"If you ever come across anything you believe may be potentially ordnance or flares, do not move it. Please call 999 and ask for the coastguard."

Read more: All the latest news from Herne Bay