Orford Ness monument damaged and bird nest disturbed after group of four climb on Atomic Weapons Research Establishment

Police have warned residents of the possibility of unexploded artillery and large drops at a historic Suffolk site after a group were seen climbing on a monument.

Four people were seen to climb up on to Lab 4 of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment in Orford Ness at about 6pm on Saturday.

These monuments are protected and the site is one of special scientific interest.

Police said that there is potentially unexploded ordnance on the site and the large drops inside the monuments, known as pagodas, could cause serious injury.

Sgt Brian Calver, from the Rural Crime and Wildlife Team, said: "We have 50 miles of coastline in Suffolk, so there’s plenty of space to enjoy without trespassing or disturbing rare wildlife.

"I would urge the public to ensure they keep to public areas and respect the environment around them. I’d take this opportunity to remind people of the national initiative Operation Seabird, led by the RSPCA, that Suffolk Police is supporting.

"This raises awareness of the importance of protecting and preserving our rich wildlife habitats and tackling disturbances to seals, sea birds and nesting birds.”

Lesser black backed gulls, a species of conservation priority, also nest on the sculptures, and one nest is believed to have been disturbed by the group.

A spokesperson for the National Trust, who cares for Orford Ness, said: "We were disappointed to learn that a nest of lesser back backed gulls had been disturbed and damage had been caused to one of Orford's iconic ancient monuments.

"Dealing with incidents of this nature and damage caused takes the team away from important nature conservation work."

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting reference 37/31308/21.

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