A potentially dangerous contraption spotted by Helston police officers caused quite a stir recently, before it was revealed as a harmless artefact left there by hobbyists.

The police neighbourhood team was left bamboozled after an unidentified package was found partially hidden by foliage in a "worrying location."

The team reported that there was quite a lot of concern, and officers spent "a considerable amount of police time" at the scene, with various departments involved before the item - resembling three film canisters in an old stocking - was finally identified as a geocache.

In a post on the Falmouth and Helston Police Facebook page, officers wrote: " Please don’t take this as us being over cautious but with the current security threat we must always be vigilant in the way we deal with suspicious items, although many are harmless we have to spend time assessing each in turn to make sure they are safe.

"For geocache enthusiasts out there, please continue to enjoy yourselves but do think about the item your are leaving and make sure it is marked as a geocache, the contents can be seen and be sure it cannot be mistaken for something harmful.

"Finally think about where you are placing it and who might need to know it is there."

Speculation about the "worrying location" included a rabbit hole or a water drainage system, possibly in Penrose woods, while one commenter said the "device" looked like " three tins of beans in some fishnet stockings."

Aaron Cole commented: "It is marked as a geocache on websites and on the thing itself. As soon as I saw it that's what I thought."

Chris Perrett added: "Prior to me retiring from the police (Glos) I tried to get all POLSAs and control room supervisors aware of geocaching and to have an account (or contact with someone with an account) so that when suspicious packages or activities are reported they can do a quick check on the site in case a geocache is located there. Perhaps a similar suggestion to your line managers could be made?"