Trust warns over wreck danger

Lost steel plates have made a hole in the Mulheim's hull

The National Trust is putting up warning signs in an attempt to stop people climbing aboard a wreck off the Cornish coast.

The hull of the RMS Mulheim, which ran aground two months ago, is breaking up, forcing crews to abandon a salvage operation.

The Trust says it is considering legal action to force the owners to remove the wreck from rocks.

It owns the coastal land the ship is stuck on and fears it will be liable if anyone is injured trying to explore the wreck.

The vessel was carrying 2,200 tonnes of scrap car plastic from Ireland to Germany when she ran onto rocks near Land's End on 22 March.

Everything of value has been take off the ship

Robin Middleton

Hundreds of tonnes of the cargo, which was destined for a landfill site in Germany, went into the sea after the vessel ran aground.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: "On Monday this week, some steel plates were lost from the starboard side of the ship, which has prevented us from removing the last 10 to 15 tonnes of cargo."

Once the cargo was cleared, it had been suggested the 1,846-tonne ship should be left to the mercy of the sea.

'Extremely dangerous'

Government transport representative Robin Middleton says public safety is his main priority.

He said: "Everything of value has been take off the ship. It has been stripped clear.

"There will be warning notices out on the cliff tops and around the site.

"It's extremely dangerous to go down there as the vessel could collapse at any time."

Cornwall's emergency planning officer Steve Winston says the extent of pollution coming from the wreck has been limited.

He said: "We are getting reports of minor pollution as far as Bude and we've got teams dealing with it.

"The insurers have agreed that they'll continue to pay for that clear-up and they are going to give us money to continue."