Major clean up on our beaches
A massive clean-up operation is under way after thousands of pieces of timber washed up along the region's coastline this weekend.The pieces of wood - some up to 12ft-long - have been seen on beaches from Orford Ness northwards to Walberswick, Southwold and Lowestoft, and along the Norfolk coast as far north as Winterton.Sarah Hall
A massive clean-up operation is under way after thousands of pieces of timber washed up along the region's coastline this weekend.
The pieces of wood - some up to 12ft-long - have been seen on beaches from Orford Ness northwards to Walberswick, Southwold and Lowestoft, and along the Norfolk coast as far north as Winterton.
Members of the public were seen taking the timber away from the beaches, with some people loading up vans.
The wood was lost from the Russian-registered Sinegorskoff the East Sussex coast on January 19.
About a third of the 1,500 metric tonne load was found on beaches in Kent and it is estimated that between 1,000 and 2,000 pieces have so far been recovered from the Suffolk coastline.
Coastguards have warned that due to the weather forecast more pieces of timber are likely to arrive on the Suffolk and Norfolk coastline over the weekend.
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Members of the public are urged to stay away from the affected beaches while specialist clean-up squads -using cranes and diggers - work to remove the debris.
Small boat users, wind or kite surfers and jet skiers are also urged to be extremely cautious if going out to sea.
Although it is not illegal for members of the public to remove the wood, those taking the timber must notify the Receiver of Wreck otherwise it becomes a criminal offence.
More details can be obtained via the Maritime and Coastguard Agency website at www.mcga.gov.uk along with a form that can be used to notify the Receiver of Wreck.
