HOLIDAYMAKERS were evacuated from a beach after an unexploded shell was found on Frinton seafront.

Police cordoned off part of the beach after the shell was found at about 4.20pm on Saturday.

The Army Bomb Disposal Unit was called to the scene, near Connaught Avenue, and carried out a controlled explosion on Sunday morning.

Councillor Richard Everett, who lives in Harold Way, Frinton, said the shell was found by children playing on the beach, who showed it to Andrew Lee, from Lavenheath, Suffolk.

Mr Everett said: "They showed it to Mr and Mrs Lee saying 'look what we’ve found'.

“Mr Lee, realising the danger, immediately called the lifeguards on duty at the beach.

“A cordon was put around the bomb, which when the coastguard arrived became a 100 metre exclusion zone.”

Mr Lee said: “I am sorry our fantastic day at the beach was cut short and that everyone had to be evacuated, but would still recommend Frinton.

“The efficient reactions of the lifeguards and coastguard in sorting the whole thing out was brilliant."

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We were called to reports a piece of unexploded ordnance that had been found washed up on the beach in Frinton near to Connaught Avenue.

“An army bomb disposal team inspected the ordnance and confirmed it was a live shell.

“A cordon was set up around it.

“The ordnance was moved to another location by the army on Sunday morning who carried out a controlled explosion.”