A PROPERTY developer sparked a massive police operation after he spotted what he thought was a body lying on the beach of a Greek island while on a family holiday.

But after a huge search involving dozens of officers in the UK, Greece and Interpol Andrew Hennessey was left red-faced when the remains turned out to be a dolphin.

Mr Hennessey was holidaying at the resort of Sami, Kefalonia, during the last week of July with his wife Amanda and their four children when he saw the remains on a beach after getting lost on a walk.

After inspecting the corpse closely and spotting what he thought was a skull and an elbow bone he decided the body was human - although he didn't report it to police until he returned to the UK.

Mr Hennessey, 44, of Rosehill Road, Burnley, said: "We had had a terrible day after getting lost and we were all exhausted and dehydrated when I saw the remains on the beach.

"I went up to have a look and I was sure it was a human body because although it was half buried and quite decomposed I could see the head and what I thought was an elbow.

"I thought it was probably somebody who had gone over-board from a boat and been washed up.

"I mentioned it back at the hotel but we did a quick head count and nobody was missing so no-one thought any more about it. We only had a couple of days of holiday left and I didn't want to spend that time stuck at a police station.

"But when we came back through the airport there were posters for people who had gone missing - like Madeleine McCann - so I thought I should say something to police when we got home.

"I thought they would just put a call in to the Greek police and they would just send someone out to have a look, but it seems to have sparked quite a major operation. I have to say it was quite a relief when the body turned out to be just a dolphin."

Det Sgt Ian Taylor, of Burnley CID, who reported Mr Hennessey's claims to Interpol, said the operation had involved dozens of officers including the Kefalonia chief of police and public prosecutor, He said: "Mr Hennessey came into Burnley police station and reported his find to us and we subsequently alerted Interpol who contacted police in Greece who launched a full invest-igation and search of the area.

"If anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation we would suggest reporting it to the local police."