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Pellets wash up on beach after crane collapse

Evie LakeNorth East and Cumbria
News imageSouth Tyneside Council Thousands of small white pellets on a beach. There are footprints in the sand which is dark and wet with the pellets all around them.South Tyneside Council
The pellets washed up on Littlehaven beach on Monday

Plastic pellets have washed up on a beach following the collapse of a crane at a dock on the south bank of the River Tyne.

On Sunday a ship collided with a crane at South Shields Port of Tyne at 13:00 BST.

South Tyneside Council said the pellets known as 'nurdles' were found on Littlehaven beach on Monday and warned the public to avoid handling them and to keep dogs on leads.

The local authority also said it was working alongside the Environment Agency, Maritime Agency and Port of Tyne to assess the "extent of contamination" and the potential environmental impact.

Following the collision a man was taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

The council added it would support any clean-up activity by specialist contractors.

News imageThomas Ord Aerial view of a container ship at a dock. It is a low-lying, orange coloured vessel, its deck stacked with containers. A crane lies crumpled next to it with the top part resting on the vessel's control tower.Thomas Ord
The crane collapsed on to part of a container vessel

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