A suspected unexploded bomb found on Walcott Beach was found to be safe after an inspection.

On Sunday, the Coastguard closed a section of the beach after a fossil hunter found an object in the sand.

The object was inspected by British Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) but was found to not have any explosives inside.

Colin Johnson, from Knapton, spotted the object while walking on Walcott Beach and called the coastguard on 999 after thinking it could be an unexploded wartime bomb.

The coastguard arrived on scene 15 minutes later and cordoned off an area of about three groynes towards Happisburgh.

Pete Revell, station officer at Bacton HM Coastguard said: "Inspections carried out by X-ray found that the object was a solid shot and had no explosives inside.

"Sometimes solid shot is used as training rounds or tracer rounds, fired first to see where it ends up before explosive shells are fired.

"In this case it wasn't dangerous but it looks exactly same as explosive rounds so we followed the right procedure."

Mr Revell, who has worked at Bacton's Coastguard rescue team for seven years, has had an extremely busy year in general, and calls to inspect objects found along the coastline is one of the many jobs they have to attend.

He added: "There are lots of fossil hunters nowadays who often find items on the beach. Stormy weather and rough seas often kick things out onto the beach and this is likely what happened.

"In this instance, they did the right thing. If anyone comes across anything strange on the beach, please ring 999 and ask for the coastguard.

"We can then determine whether it is safe or not, like what happened on Sunday when we cordoned off the beach and called more experts in.

"Too many people take items home thinking they are fine but please if in doubt, call us out."

North Norfolk's coastline often has hidden treasures appear upon its beaches.

Last month a nine-year-old boy found a large bone on the beach between Sheringham and West Runton. It was later found to be from a woolly rhino, which is thought to have lived 14,000 years ago.