PARTS of Kilve beach close to the Lilstock military range were cordoned off on Tuesday after a member of the public found rounds of live 50-calibre machine-gun bullets on the sand.

A Watchet Coastguard spokesman said: “We confirmed the items as being live 50 calibre rounds, a remnant of recent military activity on the Lilstock target range, most probably from rotary wing aircraft from the British military.

“We then searched the beach for any other pieces of ordnance that may have been uncovered by the recent storm Bella.”

After the bullets were identified by a military explosive ordnance disposal team as safe to be moved they were handed over to police for disposal by army experts.

The Coastguard spokesman added: “With no other sign of any other ordnance having been uncovered by the tide, the cordon was removed from the beach.

“Following the recent storms and heavy rain, we remind anyone visiting the beaches not to pick up anything suspicious, unrecognised or likely to be military.”