This summer's oil spill is still being investigated, government dept says

An investigation into an oil spill that affected the Fylde coast this summer is still underway, a government regulator said.

By The Newsroom

Published 8th Dec 2017, 12:53 BST

Updated 8th Dec 2017, 12:55 BST

Around 11.5 tonnes of waste had to be removed from the beaches

Around 11.5 tonnes of waste, made up of thick black oil, sand, and stone, had to be removed from Fylde coast beaches after it washed ashore in July.

The sea was ordered off-limits, while the Knott End to Fleetwood ferry service was suspended because the slipway was too dangerous.

The shellfish beds at Knott Spit and Sea Centre South in Knott End were also closed, while beach-goers were warned to keep clear from the oil for health reasons.

Warnings were posted following the spill

Oil giant Eni UK later accepted responsibility for the spill, which it said happened at a storage tanker anchored in Liverpool Bay.

And after the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said samples of oil showed the facility as the origin, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) confirmed it was investigating. It is “still ongoing” it told The Gazette this week.