Police make naked dead woman sandcastle, then swiftly apologise

LONDON -- A local police force has come under fire for building a fictitious crime scene from sand, featuring a naked dead woman.

The peculiar sandcastle, surrounded by police tape and even featuring a green beach spade sticking out of her back, won the Cornwall Beach Games competition. 

But Devon and Cornwall Police was criticised after officers tweeted about the victory.

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Labour councillor Hannah Toms told the BBC:

"Some people would have seen it and it may have reminded them of past experiences. This is a coastal community and people will have lost loved ones in the sea." 

"I like a joke as much as the next person but this is a family beach event," she said.

She said there was also a level of sexual stereotyping with the sculpture's large bottom and large breasts. 

Devon and Cornwall police said it was a "fun event" and officers had not intended to cause any offence.

But later a spokesman for the force apologised for the incident: "If any offence has been cause by the nature of the sculpture, this was never intended and we apologise for that."

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