Hovercraft found dumped on rural road

A council has said it is investigating after an old hovercraft was found dumped on a byway in Devon.

It was spotted by a horse rider early on Tuesday along the old A30 between Bridestowe and Sourton Down, near the hamlet of Forda.

Liz Parks, who uses the lane to avoid traffic, said: "My horse is a very steady and elderly cob and we were both surprised, to say the least, when we saw the rear of the hovercraft."

West Devon Borough Council said the hovercraft had been reported as fly-tipped waste.

Ms Parks said: "My concern is that the hovercraft has been left very close to the old A30 which has a speed limit of 60mph (96km/h) and cars come past at speed.

"I couldn't work out what it was until I saw it front on.

"A lot of horse riders use the byway to access the moor so you've potentially got a scenario where a frightened horse could end up on the road."

A spokesperson for the council said: "Once our staff have finished their onsite investigation, they will have a better understanding of what is needed to remove any items they find safely.

"We ask anyone witnessing a fly tip in action to take any details safely but do not engage with the offenders. Please do not touch the fly tip as this may damage any evidence that we may be able to use."

The council encouraged anyone with information to get in touch with them or police.

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].