UNDERWATER explosives experts are being called in amid fears that a wrecked munitions ship may be breaking up, releasing its lethal cargo off the east Cleveland coast.

A plea for help is being sent to the head of the Ministry of Defence's underwater survey team after the fourth corroded bomb to be washed up on beaches in three weeks was blown up by a bomb disposal team.

Just two weeks ago, Royal Navy divers blew up a First World War shell after it was washed up on Saltburn beach. Its discovery led to the forced evacuation of the town's pier and sea front.

Dave Horsley, chairman of the North East Static and Trawl Society, said: "It certainly needs looking into. There is always the possibility that there is an old wreck breaking up and the stuff on board is coming ashore. There will be records of what ships have been lost and if there were ships carrying munitions down there, that wants checking.''

A survey three years ago plotted 97 wrecks off the coast between Easington and Newbiggin alone.

Mr Horsley said: "In our immediate area there are hundreds of wrecks lying offshore and the bulk of them are wartime.''

Coun David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, says he is calling in the Ministry of Defence. He has asked Rear Admiral John Clarke, head of the Royal Navy's hydrographics department, to investigate.

"I am concerned we may well have a ship - which carried munitions down the East Coast in the First World War and which may have been torpedoed or sunk - breaking up and losing its cargo. In addition, older people in this area say ammunition was dumped off the Teesside coast immediately after the last war," he said.

"I understand these munitions were in steel containers and I am worried these containers may be breaking up as well.

"If it is established that this is indeed the case we may need to sit down with the MoD to see if there is any way this problem can be controlled or monitored. In the meantime I would urge everyone to exercise caution on the beaches if they see any strange metal objects.''

Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said: "Obviously this sounds alarming and I will be writing to ministers at the Ministry of Defence asking them to see that the hydrographics office does supply this information very quickly.''