German girl finds gold bar while swimming in Alpine lake

The 16-year-old girl, who was on holiday, found it about two metres under the surface and handed it in to police

The gold bar that was found by a teenager when swimming in a lake near Berchtesgaden (Polizeipraesidium Oberbayern Sued via AP)

A teenager has made an unexpected find while swimming in a lake in the German Alps - a 500g (17.6oz) bar of gold.

Police said they are still trying to figure out where the bar comes from and how it got into the Koenigssee lake, a popular tourist destination near Berchtesgaden on the border with Austria.

The 16-year-old girl, who was on holiday, found it about two metres (6.5ft) under the surface on 7 August and handed it in to police.

Divers have carried out a thorough search of the area around where the bar was found, but did not find any more gold or other valuables.

PA