A beach too far: British marines invade Spain by mistake

After its military successes in Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan, Britain tried on Sunday to end the continuing row over Gibraltar by invading Spain.

After its military successes in Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan, Britain tried on Sunday to end the continuing row over Gibraltar by invading Spain.

That, at least, is what it may have looked like to the inhabitants of the Spanish town of La Linea de la Concepcion when they saw waves of Royal Marines hit the beach wielding mortar launchers and SA80 assault rifles. Sunbathers sat up startled, fishermen gawped and children ran to their mothers as the men of 45 Commando took up battle stations. It was then that they were approached by a policeman asking: "Excuse me, Inglese, but which country do you think you are in?"

Having realised they were not in Gibraltar, the marines packed up their weapons and climbed back into their landing craft, muttering apologies, to go further south.

The marines, based at Condor Barracks, near Arbroath in Scotland, were taking part in an exercise while sailing to the Gulf on the helicopter carrier, HMS Ocean. The wrong landing, a corporal pointed out, was due to "one of the most dangerous things in the world – an officer with a map".

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We were not trying to take Spain and have no plans to do so.

"There is much embarrassment, the error is regretted and lessons have been learnt. Anyway they spent only about five minutes on the beach before being told they were in the wrong country."

The Spaniards were charitable about what happened. David Iria, a policeman, said the mistake was understandable as "it is difficult know exactly where you are on this coastline". The mayor of La Linea, Juan Carlos Juarez, hoped the British would not make a habit of arriving in that fashion.