Look out for lost storage containers

Residents of Bridgend County Borough are being asked to keep an eye out for storage containers which could wash up along the local coastline.

Eleven 40-foot long containers were lost from a cargo ship in the Bristol Channel recently. One has already washed up on a beach in Devon, and the Maritime Coastguard Agency has located three of the others at sea.

Authorities are currently searching for the other five containers, and believe it is possible that one or more may wash ashore at Porthcawl.

While the majority of the containers were empty when they were lost, some contained non-hazardous absorbent tissue products.

Arrangements are in place for the containers to be retrieved and returned to their owners.

Together with partners such as the National Coastwatch Institute, Bridgend County Borough Council is supporting the Maritime Coastguard Agency in its search for the missing containers, and is carrying out regular checks of the local coastline.

Given the limited movement of people during the current pandemic lockdown, it is less likely that the containers will be spotted by members of the public, but in the event that you do see one of them, please do not approach it - contact the authorities as soon as possible so that arrangements can be put in place for its safe retrieval.

Councillor Richard Young, Cabinet Member for Communities

You can report sightings of the missing containers directly to Milford Haven Coastguard Operations Centre by emailing CGOC.milfordhaven@mcga.gov.uk or calling 01646 690909.