A suspected explosive device discovered on a beach in Teignmouth, Devon, has been declared harmless scrap metal, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.

The alert was raised shortly after 13:00 BST on 23 May when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency was notified of a possible ordnance near the town’s pier. A 200-metre police cordon was established, prompting an evacuation of the pier and a significant emergency response.

A Royal Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team from Bravo Squadron, based at HMNB Devonport, was deployed to the scene. 

In a statement, the MoD said: “We can confirm that a team of Royal Navy Divers from Bravo Squadron, based in HMNB Devonport, were called out to a suspected item in Teignmouth earlier. The item was assessed as safe (scrap metal) and moved from the site.”

Teignbridge District Council worked alongside the police and other agencies to manage the situation.

BBC Spotlight’s John Ayres, reporting from the scene, said: “It’s a glorious sunny day… but today it’s absolutely empty, it feels a bit like a ghost town actually.”

Visitor Jamie Starkie, at the pier with his family, added: “We were just enjoying a sunny day
out when officers came and told everyone to evacuate.”