Scilly Isles clean-up

Environmental experts have expressed confidence that oil washed ashore from the Antiguan-registered cargo ship Cita, which went aground off the Scilly Isles last week, would cause little coastal damage.

In an operation to clean a beach at Porth Hellick bay, a site of special scientific interest on St Mary's, oiled sand will be removed by mechanical diggers, cleaned and returned to the beach, and rocks will be washed by local authority workmen and Marine Control Pollution Unit personnel. The tug Salvage Chief continued pumping around 90 tonnes of fuel oil from the wrecked vessel.