Holidaymakers baffled as 1000’s of chips wash up on seaside in vacationer hotspot
Piles of fries up to 2.5ft deep were spotted across the sand and pebbles in East Sussex. They’re thought to have originated from containers that fell off a ship during Storm Goretti
The beach(Image: Joel Bonnici)
Thousands of chips have washed up on a beach in a tourist hotspot. Piles of fries up to 2.5ft deep were spotted across the sand and pebbles in East Sussex.
They are thought to have come from containers that fell off a ship when Storm Goretti battered Britain earlier this month. It comes after locals had cleared the shoreline of washed up onions and face masks.
Onlookers said the white chips at Falling Sands near Eastbourne made it “look like the Caribbean golden sands”. Joel Bonnici said he “had to look twice” when he went for a stroll in Falling Sands, which is near the famous Beachy Head cliffs.
He said: “In some areas the chips were two-and-a-half feet deep into the ground. Among the unusual sightings of washed up items – including onions found [last week] – nothing compares to this.”
A call-out for volunteers was made on a community Facebook page to urge residents to help clear up the snacks.
Mr Bonnici added: “Removing the plastic bags is a priority. I scuba dive quite regularly, and I know what seals are like.
“If they see the bags they will play with them or try and eat them.”
It comes after three shipping containers washed up at Seaford, East Sussex, last week. A spokesperson for the HM Coastguard said a container off Littlehampton, West Sussex, was also recovered along with debris off Beachy Head.
“An aircraft was sent to survey the area on Friday and no further containers were spotted offshore,” they added.
East Sussex County Council urged the public to take extra care if they are visiting the area. A spokesperson said: “Please keep dogs on leads as some of the food items washing on to the shoreline may be harmful to them.
“Contact your district or borough council to report any new debris you find on our beaches or for information on whether volunteers are required.”
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