A full-scale terror alert was sparked this week after a dummy wearing a balaclava was spotted on a boat sailing down the Thames with a fake missile launcher on its roof. Thames Valley Police called an Army bomb disposal team after a startled passer-by reported the 4ft long guided missile in a rocket launcher on top of the barge in Reading. Perched next to the fake warhead were the head and shoulders of a convincing-looking man, his eyes staring grimly from holes cut in a balaclava shrouding his face. Panic: A terror alert was sparked on the Thames this week after someone reported seeing a missile on top of a barge in Reading . A spokesman said 'Thames Valley Police received a report from a member of the public about a suspected weapon on a canal boat in Caversham last night. 'Officers attended and conducted a search of the area, and the boat was located. The reported weapon was found to be purely ornamental. 'Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) were also informed and are satisfied it was not a live device.' The canal boat was moored near a children's play area in Christchurch Meadows, where the River Thames flows through Reading. After approaching the boat, police and the bomb disposal unit inspected the missile and confirmed the deadly-looking weapon was a dummy. Menacing: Alongside the 4ft missile were the head and shoulders of a dummy wearing a balaclava . Bizarre sight: A local resident, who asked not to be named, condemned the prank, saying: 'What a stupid thing to put on top of a boat in a town centre' A local resident, who asked not to be named, said 'What a stupid thing to put on top of a boat in a town centre. 'Goodness knows what possessed the boat owner - didn't they realise the panic it would spread? 'We're hoping the police take the time to have a word with them and ask them to remove it. 'It's not funny at all in this day and age, with all the horrible things involving terrorists.' Reading is just a few miles from Windsor where the Queen was in residence in the Castle this week - presenting the VC to Afghan war hero Joshua Leakey. Prank: Police and an Army bomb disposal team responded to the call and later said the missile 'was found to be purely ornamental' Realistic fake: The 4ft-long model weapon was mounted on the roof on the barge as it sailed down the Thames in Berkshire .
4ft missile was spotted on the roof of barge as it sailed through Reading . Alarmed passer-by called police and Army bomb disposal team responded . Perched next to missile was the menacing head and shoulders of a dummy . Experts scoured boat and said weapon 'was found to be purely ornamental'