Lego pieces still washing up on Cornish beaches 25 years since cargo spill
Beach clean groups are still finding rare pieces after five million bits of Lego spilled into the sea in 1997
A worldwide search for millions of Lego pieces, which were lost at sea, continues 25 years on from the cargo ship spill in Cornwall in 1997.
On 13th February, the Tokio Express cargo ship lost 62 containers of collectables 20 miles off the coast of Lands End. One container, which held almost five million pieces of Lego, lost figurines and sea-themed parts.
The ship, which was bound to New York from the Netherlands, saw colourful Lego pieces fall in to the ocean, including thousands of scuba tanks, sharks, 352,000 pairs of flippers and only 514 rare green dragons, which have since been found all across the world.
Emily Stevenson runs Beach Guardian, and told us: "The Lego thing is always one of the most engaging tools that we have. Look out for oldest packaging, look out for what's travelled the furthest distance, and if you're really lucky, you might find some Lego".
When she was young, Emily spent her beach trips decorating her sandcastles with bits of plastic found on the sand across North Cornwall.
Now she runs a group which organises beach cleans across the county - and is one of many who searches for rare pieces of Lego lost at sea and plastic items dating back years.
She continued: "It's devastating of course to think that this is in our environment, but it is so engaging.
"A ship lost containers into the sea, nearly five million pieces of Lego went and were lost 25 years ago and you still find them now and the tip of the iceberg is that many of them are themed to do with the ocean so it gets peoples inspiration going".
The Lego Lost at Sea group is run by Tracey Williams, and shows off the efforts of people all across the world searching for each of the lost items washed up on various beaches.
Tracey herself has collected lots of Lego and other interesting plastic figures, objects and toys in her years of beachcombing in Cornwall and Devon.
Her new book, 'Adrift, The Curious Tale Of The Lego Lost At Sea', tells the story of the journey they took through the ocean, how far it's travelled and how people finding rare items including dinosaurs and octopus' in near perfect condition to this day.
Emily Stevenson told us: "It gets really competitive. If someone finds a bit of Lego on your beach clean they're showing it off to everybody and everyone's trying to nick it from them".
She has found flippers and blocks of Lego but is yet to collect anything rare, despite some of her volunteers finding them.
One of the rare green dinosaurs was found during a clean Beach Guardian had organised at Porthcothan Bay.
Emily continued: "Some of our volunteers are better at finding it than others, to the point that sometimes I think they're cheating, because I've done hundreds, if not thousands of beach cleans, but I've never found anything rare. I've probably got about 30 items of Lego - mostly Lego flippers".
Carol Hurst is another beach cleaner from Cornwall, who runs One Bag Beach Clean. Despite going for almost daily cleans and organising events since she moved to the Duchy five years ago, she's still on the search for the rarer items.
Carol said: "I haven't found loads of Lego, only little bits here and there. I have more of the little bricks and I haven't found any of the interesting bits that people find.
"I did find a Duplo plane and I think it dates to either 1982 or 1986 which we dated it to. I know other people have found amazing Lego pieces and I'm very jealous about that because I've never found anything very special.
"It's amazing how long ago that was and you can still find things is absolutely perfect conditions, which is a bit scary".
The hunt for Lego continues, with thousands of parts still yet to be found by beachcombers across the world.
Carol thinks the search for interesting items in groups helps to get everyone involved, and will continue to run beach cleans to help to clear Cornwall of its plastic pollution collected over the years.
She told us: "You just can't walk on the beach without seeing it. We all go out together and it's a really good way of raising awareness. Afterwards we all have a chat and see what we've got in our bucket - if you find a fishing hook, or a step ladder on the beach.
"It's a nice community thing like you feel like you're achieving things together".