Lidl to help with Dorset beach clean-up after cargo ship spillage

Air fresheners and packets of nuts are among the items that have been found on Dorset's beaches

Lidl has said it will assist with a beach clean up after its products were washed ashore because a cargo ship dropped containers into the sea.

Air fresheners and packets of nuts are among the items that have been found on Dorset's beaches.

The items, which were bound for Spain, were lost at sea during heavy storms.

The supermarket chain said it was "deeply concerned" to hear about the incident and was committed to tackling plastic waste.

Carla Roberts-Owen, project support officer at Litter Free Dorset, said they first washed up at Ringstead Bay on 13 March, before sightings proliferated along the Jurassic Coast.

There have been 24 reports so far, including 82 W5 air fresheners and 14 Alesto-branded snacks, all in Spanish packaging.

Ms Roberts-Owen said: "We're still anticipating more to turn up.

"It was quite bizarre having all these items wash ashore."

The items, which were bound for Spain, were lost at sea during heavy storms

Litter along the coast usually includes ghost fishing gear, water bottles, cigarette butts and rubbish washed out to sea from waterways.

"So it was slightly strange to find air fresheners and full packets of nuts," Ms Roberts-Owen told the BBC.

"At first it's a little bit intriguing but once you've uncovered how it's ended up on the shore we then want to try and deal with the clear up."

She added that for the upcoming Great Dorset Beach Clean, scheduled for April 2-10, all event organisers would be notified of the spillage.

In a statement, Lidl said: "Following an internal investigation, we can confirm that a container of items intended for Lidl stores in Spain fell off a cargo ship during unusually heavy seas.

"Whilst the ship is not owned or operated by Lidl, we were deeply concerned to learn of the incident and take our own commitments to tackling plastic waste extremely seriously.

"We also understand the burden that this will have placed on the communities that have been directly impacted by the spill and want to help with the clean-up operations.

"We are in the process of liaising with independent organisations to help determine the level of support required and endeavour to update local groups in due course."