Seven containers were washed off the beached cargo ship the MSC Napoli in bad weather on Thursday.

According to the Coastguard the lost containers held an eclectic mix of cargo including King Edward potatoes, engine parts, electrical appliances and used office supplies.

None of the lost material is considered to pose a particularly serious environmental threat.

All seven of the containers were later washed up on the shore, but in a highly inaccessible rocky area adding to the headache of the salvage team.

The stretch of coastline where the containers have been beached has been closed off by the authorities to limit the risk of would-be scavengers harming themselves while trying to recover the cargo.

The Coastguard also announced this week that time is running out for looters who have not filled in a form declaring their booty and that those deliberately concealing items they had grabbed could face criminal proceedings.

Sam Bond

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