THERE was major alert when a military canister was washed up on Morecambe beach on Sunday.

A man out walking his dog found the 18in long metal cylinder which warned anyone finding it to contact the police and armed services.

The canister was found on the beach near the Battery car park by the man who immediately informed the emergency services.

Police toured the area asking residents to shut windows and doors and the Army Bomb Disposal Unit was called up from Liverpool.

It was later established that it was an unexploded floating phosphorous flare used by the Royal Navy during training manoeuvres.

The device was destroyed in a controlled explosion.

A spokesman said: "Military hardware periodically washes up along the coast especially after stormy weather."