Chinese lantern off Exmouth prompts coastguard call

A CHINESE lantern spotted floating across the sky off Exmouth beach on Monday night prompted a 999 call to the coastguard.

A CHINESE lantern spotted floating across the sky off Exmouth beach on Monday night prompted a 999 call to the coastguard.

A holidaymaker staying at Devon Cliffs Holiday Park reported the light, believing it to be an orange distress flare drifting across the sky.

A spokesperson for Portland coastguard said the call was a false alarm with good intent: "The description that the first informant gave indicated that what she was seeing was a Chinese lantern.