IS it a meteor or maybe a mini Death Star? Coastguards are called out to mystery object on Dorset beach.

The huge spherical structure, resembling a miniature Death Star from Star Wars, washed up on West Bexington beach earlier this week.

The West Bay team was paged by Solent Coastguard National Maritime Operations Centre after receiving reports of a large metallic object believed to be a marker buoy that had washed up on the beach.

Solent Coastguard requested that coastguard officers go to the area to investigate the object, secure it if possible, and make sure it posed no danger to members of the public or the environment.

Six rescue officers responded to the page and made their way to the Rescue Station at West Bay to pick up their equipment and the team’s Coastguard Rescue Vehicle.

They then headed out to West Bexington.

When they arrived they found the item washed up about 1,000m west of the beach. The marker buoy had been stranded by the retreating tide.

Unfortunately the large marker buoy had no identifying markings or numbers on it so the owners could not be traced.

Coastguards attached a rope to the buoy and attempted to move it from the shoreline but it was far too big and heavy for manpower alone.

A spokesman for the team said: “Due to the remote location, it was not possible to get our vehicle anywhere near the area and it was concluded that the buoy could not be moved without the help of heavy equipment.

“Photos and grid references were taken, Solent Coastguard was updated and the team was then stood down to return to station.”

Dorset Echo: