A giant fender the size of a bus is posing a salvage problem after being washed up on a beach.
The huge black inflatable is thought to have fallen from the side of a big ship where it would be used during docking.
It has landed on the shore in Norfolk where it is being slowly shifted along the coast by the tide.
The five-tonne fender is currently near Hunstanton where coastguards are trying to identify the owners to help remove it.
Local sailor William Searle, 62, said: “It is such a huge thing and it has not been secured.
“I went down to see if we could secure it to anything but it was almost impossible.
“Because it is moving about it could hit another boat or damage the marsh land.
“It is nearly impossible to reach because the sand is like quicksand.
“There’s no way we could get it up our ramp and onto our boat to be able to move it.”
Humber Coastguard said: “The current situation is it is on the beach near to Thornham.
“Our intention is to locate the owner of the item so they can be involved in its removal.”
Geoff Needham of Hunstanton RNLI said: “It must be an expensive piece of equipment.
“Perhaps some enterprising fisherman could tow it out to sea so they could get it back.”
Eric Plane of Fendercare Marine who supply large fenders, said: “We can confirm that the fender does not belong to us.
“We are currently assisting with investigations to help establish the owner of the fender so that it can be safely removed.”
