Drama on Burghead beach as WWII explosive device is washed ashore

Navy Bomb Disposal
Navy called to Burghead Beach

A ROYAL NAVY bomb disposal team was called to a Moray beach after a World War II naval shell was discovered.

The ordinance shell was found on Wednesday by local man Spencer Julian while out walking his dog at Burghead beach.

Coastguard officers made efforts to keep members of the public away from the area while awaiting the arrival of the disposal team, a spokesman saying: “The tide kept it covered for much of Thursday morning and the Navy arrived at around 2.30pm in the afternoon.”

The disposal team dug a hole around the device before detonating explosives to ensure it was destroyed in a safe manner.

Old military ordinance being washed up on Moray’s beaches is not unusual. In November 2014 Royal Navy disposal experts were despatched from their base at Faslane to deal with what was believed to have been a torpedo that was washed up on the shore at Lossiemouth.

Police cordoned the area off and posted guard – however, by the time they arrived in Moray the ‘torpedo’ had been washed away on the next tide.