News

Oil leaking from the Ice Prince, the vessel loaded with timber which sunk last month off Portland Bill in Dorset may have reached the coast of south east Kent.

Already a number of large planks have been spotted floating off the coast and washed ashore on Shepway and Dover beaches.

And at the weekend oil slicks were reported by Walmer lifeboat crew while on a training exercise.

An air search was begun in Sunday afternoon (17 February) to find the extent of the oil which is said to have affected a number of sea birds. Reports of small patches of tar on east coast beaches would suggest there is as yet, no major threat of widespread pollution.

Deal and Folkestone Coastguard teams have continued searching for further traces of oil along the coast.

A Dover Coastguard spokesman said it is too early to identify the source of the spilled oil..