A strange discovery has left beachgoers both puzzled and concerned.
Dozens of mysterious blue balls - known as taprogge balls - have washed up along the high tide mark in Redcar, coming from Hartlepool’s nuclear power station.
Local Neil Baldwin has lived near and walked the beach for decades - and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the bright objects.
The more he walked along the beach, the more he found.
He said: "I noticed a lot of them and I kept seeing more and more as I was walking.
"I looked for a bag to pick them up in and I found a plastic bottle which I filled on my walk back."
Taprogge balls are used to clean stretches of pipework, and according to EDF Energy, can occasionally be released into the environment.
The blue balls have appeared on beaches where pet owners often take their dogs.
They are supposed to be captured at the end of the cleaning process but sometimes can escape.
Local beach lovers are often left cleaning them up themselves.
Mr Baldwin said that while water companies face scrutiny over water quality, EDF Energy should be asked the same questions given that these balls have been washing up for years.
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EDF say that tide patterns can carry debris onto nearby beaches, but the energy company said it had not received reports of similar finds since April.
An EDF spokesperson told the Northern Echo: "The station has been working hard to prevent the release of biodegradable Taprogge balls and improvements to procedures have been put in place which have significantly reduced the number of releases over the past 18 months.
The company added: "We take our environmental obligations very seriously and when we are made aware that balls have washed ashore.
"Our teams carry out beach walks to collect any that we can find."
The company added: "There have been no reports of balls to the station since April 2026, but sometimes tide patterns or weather events can wash older balls onto beaches.
"We would ask the public to report discoveries directly to the station or to the Environment Agency with a precise location to allow a team to go and remove any balls in the area.”
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