Bomb disposal experts at Dymchurch. Picture: Kent_999s on Twitter

by Tim Collins

A bomb disposal team carried out a controlled explosion
on part of a torpedo in Dymchurch this afternoon.

Fisherman Russel Stuart raised the alarm when he found

the metal device buried on the beach on Saturday.

Coastguard officers monitored the unexploded weapon - only
visible at low-tide - to check there was no threat to the
public.

A Royal Navy bomb disposal unit was called to carry out a
controlled explosion at about 2pm today.

The device was then discovered to be the pressure vessel
from a torpedo and was removed from the scene.

Mr Stuart, 52, who works at Dungeness B power station, made the
discovery while searching for lug-worms to use as bait near his
home along the seafront in the village.

He said: "I spend a lot of time along the beach, so I know it
very well, and it just didn't look right.

"Where we've had a lot of storms, it's stripped the top of the
sand away and it was just sticking out of the beach.

"I knew it wasn't part of the groins on the sea defences.
It was rusty and metallic and looked like nothing I've ever seen
before, so I though it'd be best to report it.

"The coastguard came out and agreed it looked a bit iffy, so
they called the Navy out, and the rest is history."