UPDATE 5.13pm: "The Health Protection Agency has now confirmed its earlier suggestion that the substance in the glass phials is Tryptone, a protein based growing medium used in microbiology.  This substance is not hazardous and, therefore, does not present a risk to public health. 

"The council is continuing to monitor the situation and we are still advising members of the public not to touch the glass phials and to report sightings to the coastguard so they can be removed and disposed of." Cornwall Council

UPDATE: "The latest information from the Health Protection Agency suggests the substance is a protein based growing medium used in microbiology. Although this material is not hazardous, members of the public are still being advised not to touch the phials and to report any sightings to the coastguard." Cornwall Council

The public are being warned away from a beach near Hayle after phials containing acid washed up on the shore.

The warning comes after a member of the public handed some of the phials found at the beach at Godrevy Towans, Hayle, into Camborne Police station this morning, Monday, February 4.

The phials are described as about five inches long with a red metal screw top and contain a clear liquid.

A further 100 phials have been removed from the beach by specialist teams from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service.  These have now been passed to a specialist contractor for disposal.

Officers say they have taken advice and believe that the liquid is a type of casamino acid which is safe when sealed but the tube but should not be opened.

A police spokesman said; "It is reported that they have been washed up between Gwithian and Riviera Downs on the West Cornwall Coast. The largest amount has been recovered from a drum at Mexico beach, but it is not know how the drum came to be on the beach."

The fire service also attended the beach and is in the process of collecting those which have been washed ashore.