Hungry worms delay slipway repair

The gribbles are small marine isopods related to woodlice

Hungry sea worms have delayed work to repair a slipway on the Isle of Wight.

The gribbles - small, burrowing crustaceans that feast on wet wood - were found during work to repair the public slipway at Wootton.

The infestation meant the planks looked sound but were being eaten from the inside and had become very porous.

The Isle of Wight Council is spending about £10,000 on the repairs, which were due to be completed by October but will now take another month.

A combination of hardwood and gribble-proof plastic-based timber has now been ordered and the slipway is expected to be back in use by the end of November 2007.

'Nasty surprise'

Matt Chatfield, Isle of Wight Council's parks and countryside manager, said: "Gribbles are marine isopods related to woodlice which have the ability to eat timber and they certainly enjoyed this slipway.

"A characteristic of gribble attack is that the crustaceans don't care for the sunlight and dry timber that is found on the exposed surfaces, so the wood they prefer to eat is hidden away.

"Hence the nasty surprise when the broken boards were lifted.

"We know that these works are inconvenient, but the council is determined to return this important public slipway to good and safe condition as soon as possible.

"I'd like to thank the users for the patience they've shown whilst this problem is being resolved."