Workers to try to pull mysterious circular object from beach

By Andrew Banks

Workers have begun the task of pulling a mysterious circular object lodged on a Rhode Island beach in the US.

The unidentified sunken object is puzzling beachgoers, particularly at low tide when it becomes more visible.

Rocky's Tree Service, a tree removal company, has been given the job of uprooting the 1.2 metre-wide object from Westerly's East Beach and perhaps one or two of them may be worried it could be an alien artefact or a weaponised piece of machinery.

The circular object - with eight stainless steel legs and capped with concrete - is located about 3m offshore.

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East Beach Association President Peter Brockmann says the best tip he's received on the object came from University of Rhode Island oceanographers, who say it could be part of a device used by the US Army Corps of Engineers to monitor currents and sediment flow.

People are wondering what the unidentified object is under the water off of East Beach in Watch Hill. pic.twitter.com/NFyeJAkbB8

— Tony Gugliotta (@MrTonyGugliotta) August 11, 2017

Extraterrestrial fidget spinner? https://t.co/zhHGCIDgqP

— Scott Isaacs (@ScottIsaacs) August 11, 2017

Brockmann says residents and officials couldn't remember seeing the object before last summer.

WPRI-TV is following the removal closely.

- with AP.