Crocodile alert closes beaches

BEACHES were closed after reports that a crocodile had been seen in the water at Boulogne-sur-Mer.

The warning, which came just days after a shark alert on beaches on the Riviera, came in a letter dropped in the mailbox of newspaper La Voix du Nord.

It said two men had seen the metre-long crocodile beside tourist boats at the port.

Although no reptiles were reported missing from the zoos in the Pas-de-Calais area the mairie decided to close the beaches and ban swimming just in case.

Pompiers and police searched the port area while lifeguards toured the beaches broadcasting messages in English and French warning people of the crocodile alert.

However, when no trace of a crocodile was found the red warning flag was pulled down and the beaches reopened around 14.00.

Photo: istock