A cordon has been placed around two drums containing hazardous material which have washed up on an Outer Hebridean beach.
The public are being warned to stay away from the barrels, which were found at Seal Bay on Barra at around 10.40am on Wednesday.
Barra Coastguard Rescue Team and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were sent to the scene after council officials investigated.
A spokesman for Western Isles Council said today:”We were notified that two metal containers were washed ashore in Barra. In line with protocol, SFRS were asked to help identify the potential risk from the contents.
“One of the containers has been identified as having a potentially unsafe substance with markings indicating a combustion catalyst. Therefore as a precaution both have been safely contained in sealed drums and disposal will be through a specialist firm.
“In most cases washed up containers are found to be filled with seawater, however the council and partners will always take a precautionary approach.”
A spokeswoman for the SFRS said it was alerted by the local Environmental Health department.
“Operations Control mobilised a crew and a specialist hazardous material officer to investigate,” she said.
“A cordon has been placed round the area and arrangements are being made to uplift the drums.”
A Police Scotland spokesman added that it too had been made aware of the find.