The mystery of a huge container washed up on a beach in the Western Isles has been solved.
The huge container washed up on a beach in the Western Isles may be a tank used in the brewing industry.
The 27m container has been identified by the coastguard as a beer fermentation tank.
The 51ft container is similar to those used to ferment beer and is believed to have fallen from a ship.
The container was found by a dog walker on Poll Na Crann beach near Griminish - known as Stinky Bay - west Benbecula.
The container was found by a dog walker on Poll Na Crann beach near Griminish - known as Stinky Bay - west Benbecula.
Stornoway Coastguard said inquiries were continuing but they believed the tank fell from a ship. They said none of the tanks had been reported missing.
Stornoway Coastguard said it resembled tanks used by the American brewer Coors. The company said it was not aware of a missing container.
A coastguard officer said an initial search for a possible owner of the tank found it was similar to those used by American brewers Coors but there was no evidence to link it with the drinks giant.
No-one at the German firm Ziemann, which makes the tanks, was available for comment.
The brewers' UK operations said it had not received reports that a tank belonging to it had gone missing.
A number of people contacted the BBC news website with theories about the origins of the container.
Meteorological rockets
One reader thought the numbers "5580" written on the container could have meant it was used to hold chemicals in DTD 5580, a three-part paint aircraft scheme.
The coastguard also found they are manufactured by German firm, Ziemann, but the officer added that at this stage they did not know where the one found on Benbecula was being shipped to when lost.
Another writer thought it could have been a rocket stage launched from South Uist, from which meteorological rockets were fired in the 1960s and 70s.
No-one at the engineering company was available for comment.
A number of people contacted the BBC news website with theories as to the identity of the container.
One reader thought the numbers 5580 written on the container could have meant the container was used to house the chemicals used in DTD 5580, a three-part paint scheme used for aircraft all over the world.
Another website user thought it could have been a rocket stage previously launched from the South Uist launch site, used in the 1960s and 70s to fire meteorological rockets.
