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A gendarme's routine patrol took an unusual turn when the officer spotted a sunseeker on the beach.

The lockdown-breaker was lying on a towel under an umbrella in the middle of an otherwise deserted beach in the Hérault resort of Carnon at the weekend.

With beaches currently closed due to coronavirus, the officer approached the sunbather, intending to move them on with a warning and, perhaps, a fine. But not everything was as it seemed.

It turned out the beach bum was, in fact, a blow-up doll, left on the beach as a practical joke. Fortunately, the officer - and his colleagues - were able to see the funny side. A good job, too, as the incident was caught on camera, and posted on social media.