An area of Inverness was on lockdown yesterday as bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion on a suspected piece of ordnance near the Caledonian Thistle football ground.
The dangerous object was spotted by people on the Moray Firth shoreline beside the stadium on Wednesday afternoon, sparking a hasty response from emergency teams who quickly guarded the device until it could safely be disposed of.
Following the arrival of bomb disposal experts yesterday, the object was established to be a marine pyrotechnic marker, which are devices designed to be dispensed from helicopters and rescue aircraft to indicate ship or crew positions in the sea.
Police and members of the Inverness Coastguard rescue team both attended the scene yesterday for a third consecutive day as members of the Royal Navy’s explosives disposal team made their way north.
Following their arrival, shortly after noon, a 650ft cordon was placed around the area as experts carried out a controlled explosion on the marker.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: “I can confirm that Royal Navy bomb disposal experts from Northern Diving Group were called to a beach in Inverness to examine an item of suspected ordnance.
“On inspection, the item was found to be a marine pyrotechnic marker. A cordon was established and a controlled explosion carried out on the beach to safely dispose of the item.”