Walkers at a popular Fife beauty spot have been urged to be cautious after the discovery of a number of wartime mortar bombs.
Three mortar shells have been found at Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve in the last three months and several more have been discovered over a number of years.
Of the three found recently, all were dealt with by the army’s bomb disposal team one was found to be inert and two were blown up as a precaution.
On each occasion, 50m cordons were erected around the items to keep people away until they were dealt with.
Last week Halbeath man Gary Pearson called for warning signs at the forest and beach to alert the public to the possibility of bombs.
The metal detector enthusiast, who found two mortar shells within a week earlier this month and another in April, expressed fears that somebody could be seriously injured if they handled a mortar without knowing what it was.
”Imagine if a bairn had gone along and kicked it or something. It doesn’t bear thinking about really,” he said.
Part of the nature reserve was used as a Second World War practice range and it is expected more shells from that time could be washed ashore.
Caroline Gallacher, operations officer with Scottish Natural Heritage, which runs the nature reserve, told The Courier the issue of warning signs was to be discussed.
”Occasionally wind and tides expose metal items left over from these years,” she said. ”These are usually harmless bits of material but over the last three months three mortar shells have been found and disposed of.”
She added: ”The explosives are not of the landmine type which can be set off just walking over them but we would ask the public to use caution on the reserve, or anywhere else in Scotland, and if they see a possible wartime shell to move away from it and call the police immediately.
”Wartime armaments could be found anywhere along the Tentsmuir coastline, and beyond so we will be discussing the issue of signage with neighbouring land owners and the relevant authorities.”