EMERGENCY services were called after an unexploded device was found on a beach yesterday (16/12).

The incident happened on the Knoll end of Studland Beach.

The unexploded device was found by Wessex Dog Training Club, who called 999.

A walker, who does not want to be named, said: "We found a cylindrical canister which is about two-and-a-half feet long and has writing on it.

"It appears to be in French and we made out the words 'danger' and 'do not touch'."

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “We were called at 9.25am on Sunday, December 16 to reports that an unexploded device had been found on the Knoll end of Studland Beach. HM Coastguard was contacted and took primacy of the incident.”

A post on Purbeck Police’s Facebook page says the French Maritime Authority was contacted, who deemed the piece of ordnance to be a pyrotechnic device.

Dorset Echo:

Picture: Purbeck Police

The beach was then cordoned off to members of the public.

He added: “Officers attended to assist with cordons. The Army’s bomb disposal team attended to assess the device and make it safe.”

According to Swanage Coastguard, the NAVY EOD team from Portsmouth attended.

They identified and buried the piece of ordnance before disposing of it.

A video of a controlled explosion was published on the coastguard’s Facebook page and shows a plume of smoke bursting into the air.

The beach was later reopened.