Police were called to a Copeland village last night after a member of the public made an unusual discovery.
Officers responded to a report that a body part, which was possibly part of a human foot, had been found on the path behind the Wastewater Treatment Works on Foundry Road, Parton, shortly after 7.20pm.
Speaking last night, a spokesman said officers had recovered a partial body part but it was too early to say whether it belonged to a human or animal.
A spokesman said the discovery would be passed on, via crime scene investigators, to a pathology lab for tests to confirm its origin.
Today, a spokeswoman said: "Police were called at 7:22pm on January 4 to the report of an unidentified item found on the beach at Parton.
"The item is not part of a human anatomy, and the situation is not currently being treated as suspicious. The item has been sent for analysis as a precaution."
Officers have carried out a search around the area where the discovery was made.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here