Dozy dock workers sparked panic after mistaking a pile of ropes – for a CROCODILE.
Passers-by and local workers panicked after thinking there was a crocodile basking on a floating pontoon on the Thames, yards away from where children were paddling.
Horrified City worker Ben snapped a picture of the posible predator as he took a break from his Canary Wharf office job, to stroll with a colleague, yesterday lunchtime.
It was whilst wandering around Millwall Outer Dock on the Isle of Dogs, which is also home to a watersports centre used by youngsters, Ben and his pal made the disturbing discovery.
He said: “I was out for a stroll on my lunch break today with a colleague and taking our usual route around the docks enjoying the sun.
“While circumnavigating Millwall Outer Dock we passed the Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre, where there were children enjoying a paddle in canoes.
“Then to our horror we spotted what appears to be some sort of large reptile.
“My colleague thought it might be a dinosaur but I corrected him that it looked more like a crocodile.”
Despite being mystified by his find, after the recent referendum result, Ben chalked it up as another unlikely event coming true.
He added: “Having said that nobody saw Brexit coming so perhaps there is some sort of prehistoric Nessie-like creature living in the depths, or shallows, of Millwall Dock?
“I do hope the children are ok.”
But the city workers must have eaten something funny in their lunch – as their terrifying find turned out to be nothing but a pile of ropes.
Judi Sanders, Centre Manager at the Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre, explained the hilarious mistake.
She said: “We have a 100 kids a day coming here a day and our waters are tested independently every other week for quality, so we know there’s nothing nasty lurking in there.
“The rope was running free in the dock and one of the staff here found it and put it on there.
“We do, however, have a seal in the dock.”