Fears over beached chemical kits

People in the South West are being asked to watch for chemical agent detector kits which may wash ashore.

Coastguards made the appeal after some green plastic kits were found around Fowey and Polridmouth in Cornwall.

The kits are used by the military to detect poisonous gasses and contain sealed bottles of mercury cyanide and sodium hydroxide.

It is not known where they came from or how they ended up in the sea. Anyone finding the kits should not touch them.

The kits, which are potentially hazardous, have a Nato serial number on them.

Devon and Cornwall Police said if any items are spotted they should be left in place and police or coastguards contacted with the location.