NAVY BOMB disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion on a Carnoustie beach yesterday afternoon.

The team from Rosyth had been summoned after a member of the public discovered what appeared to be an unexploded wartime mortar near the leisure centre on Thursday.

The ordnance, which was lying on the rocky foreshore just above the low water mark, was clearly of some vintage and parts of its tail fins were still visible.

Its location was marked in preparation for dealing with it when the tide went out again yesterday.

Navy personnel confirmed the suspicious object was indeed ordnance but they were unable to say whether it was still live or not.

Police kept members of the public off the beach as the device was safely destroyed.

The bomb disposal team carried the ordnance to a sandy part of the beach before placing it in a hole and surrounding it with sandbags.

Staff at the leisure centre and nearby Carnoustie Golf Course Hotel were warned of the situation and the ordnance was blown up shortly before 1 pm.

Inspector Dave Coates said it was always best to report suspicious objects to the authorities.

“Even if it turns out to be nothing, it’s always best to let the experts deal with these kinds of things,” he added.