Tim Peake's pink knickers among list of unusual beach finds
The Chichester astronaut discovered the item during a litter pick
Last updated 28th Dec 2020
A pair of pink women's underwear discovered by Tim Peake has made a list of the top 10 unusual things found left on beaches in the UK this year.
The Chichester astronaut discovered the slinky undies on a beach in the area while picking up litter as part of the Marine Conservation Society's Great British Beach Clean in September.
The event was one of hundreds organised by the group throughout 2020.
Other items of festive flotsam to make the top 10 included a glitterball and plastic Christmas tree, along with a plastic Olaf figure from the film Frozen and Christmas baubles.
Volunteers for MCS's Beachwatch programme found a double mattress, a wig and a single wedding shoe, along with a fridge door and a 20-year-old crisp packet.
The MCS has revealed that crisp packets, cigarettes, sweet wrappers and drinks bottles were among the items most commonly found on the UK's beaches.
But more and more items of personal protective equipment (PPE) are now joining them, including disposable face masks and gloves - which were found on 30% of beaches.
Worryingly, 70% of MCS's inland litter picks found PPE items, meaning it is just a matter of time before they make their way to the ocean.
The plastic items can be ingested by wildlife, or they can become entangled in the straps and take decades to break down.
The thousands of volunteers that take part in Beachwatch litter picks record what they find, with the data used to inform MCS's campaigns for policies to cut single-use plastic waste.
Beachwatch has been supported by funding from the People's Postcode Lottery, receiving £2.65 million in grants since 2018.
Laura Chow, head of charities at People's Postcode Lottery, said:
"I was shocked to learn about the vast assortment and sizes of the items that have been washed up on our beaches.
"It is a stark reminder that we need to do more to protect our seas and I'm delighted that players of People's Postcode Lottery continue to support this valuable work."