Navy experts determine marine smoke marker found on Shetland coast contained ‘no explosive content’

One of the experts pictured during the team's visit to Scasta in August. Photo: Royal Navy

Bomb disposal  experts this morning investigated an expended marine smoke marker on the Shetland coast. 

The Royal Navy’s Clyde-based Northern Diving Group detonated the item, which had been discovered by a walker near the point of Grunataing in the Walls area on Saturday. 

Coastguard teams had cordoned off the area and members of the public were urged not to go near the item, which was said at the time to present a potential  “small explosive hazard”.

However, when the experts visited they found there was no need for a controlled detonation. 

The Ministry of Defence confirmed:  “The item was found to be an expended marine smoke marker which had no explosive content.”

The team last visited in August after a Canadian pipe  mine was uncovered at Scatsta airport.

A 1,300m cordon was set up and an explosion could be seen from miles around.