A WALKER who alerted the emergency services after finding this piece of "rubbish" said he believed it was a bomb.

Part of Highcliffe beach was cordoned off for two-and-a-half hours after the discovery, near the Cliffhanger cafe.

Police consulted Army bomb disposal experts before reopening the stretch of beach and taking the item to Christchurch police station.

The Mudeford man who found it said he spotted the item and alerted coastguards, who then called police.

He said: "I noticed it as I was walking past and had a quick look - it certainly looked like a military device to me.

"Two policemen from Christchurch came to the scene and cordoned it off because they agreed with me."

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "We had a call just before 2pm reporting a possible ordnance device. The Army's bomb disposal experts were consulted but did not attend because they did not believe it was a device.

"It was believed to be a piece of scrap metal and has since been disposed of by officers. The cordon was removed at 4.30pm."