LOCALS were left wondering if there was something in the water on Monday night after gun shots were heard throughout the Three Towns.

The loud bangs at 10pm sparked panic, with some suggesting on social media that there had been a major incident in the area, with people injured.

Many reported it sounded like heavy gun fire – or perhaps machine gun blasts – coming from the Clyde.

But the Herald can reveal that it was thanks to a Royal Navy exercise in the Clyde – and the shots fired were all blanks.

The Navy at first denied their ships were firing rounds during their exercises.

But as the Herald went to press, they confirmed blank rounds had been fired from their ships.

They said Maritime authorities had been warned in advance. But there was no warning for alarmed local residents.

On Monday, there were two separate incidents ongoing, with a training exercise involving the Ardrossan to Brodick ferry and 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines and also the Joint Warrior exercise – a large-scale, multi-national exercise which occurs twice a year and always involves naval ships from many different nations, including Spain, the Netherlands and the United States.

Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team said: “Joint Warrior provides a complex environment in which UK, NATO and allied units can go through training together in tactics and skills for use in a combined joint task force.” We reported in May that the Royal Marines were conducting training exercises with the full co-operation of CalMac. This week’s exercise involved Marines boarding the ferry, allowing new equipment to be tested.

Check out our Facebook page for a video of the “gunfire” taken from Saltcoats.