Dozens of mysterious blue balls - known as taprogge balls - have washed up along the high tide mark in Redcar, coming from Hartlepool’s nuclear power station. Local Neil Baldwin has lived near and walked the beach for decades - and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the bright objects. Taprogge balls are used to clean stretches of pipework, and according to EDF Energy, can occasionally be released into the environment. The company added: "We take our environmental obligations very seriously and when we are made aware that balls have washed ashore. The company added: "There have been no reports of balls to the station since April 2026, but sometimes tide patterns or weather events can wash older balls onto beaches.