The phosphorus flares were washed ashore after being dropped over the North Sea by military aircraft practicing bombing raids.

They are held in wooden crates. If the phosphorus is released it can cause terrible burns.

A number of the crates were moved from beaches around Skegness by Navy bomb disposal experts on Thursday morning.

Burn fears

A spokeswoman for Yarmouth Coastguard, which patrols the Lincolnshire coast, said the flares were found by members of the public.

"They are dropped by aircraft over the middle of the North Sea for practice and they are being washed up on beaches.

"They drop them 60 miles offshore and with the easterly and south easterly winds they are washed in.

"We will probably have some more."

Lincolnshire Police warned anyone who sees the flares to contact themselves or the coastguard.

A spokesman said: "They can be dangerous and with it being phosphorus they can burn through most things."