Coastguard bosses have revealed why Southend seafront was shut this morning with a police cordon.
Police and Southend Coastguard were called in the early hours of this morning to reports of an unexploded bomb off the shore of Westcliff.
Police put up a large cordon between the Genting Casino and Adventure Island on Southend seafront.
Now Coastguard bosses have announced following inspections that it was a piece of metal.
Jeremy Littlewood, senior coastal operations officer at the National Coastguard, said: "A bait digger reported it and thought it was an unexploded ordinance.
"Southend Coastguard and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal attended and it was decided it was a piece of metal. It was removed.
"It had the potential of being an unexploded ordinance and had the signs and characteristics of this too."
He said Essex Police was on scene from about 6.55am to 8.10am.
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