Chip wreck! Thousands of chips wash ashore near Eastbourne

“In some areas the chips were eight feet deep underground.

“Nothing compares to the unusual sighting of washed items, including onions found earlier this week.”

Bonnici said a call for volunteers was put out on the community’s Facebook page to encourage residents to help clean up the chips.

“Removing plastic bags is a priority,” he added.

He said there was a small seal colony nearby and the bags posed a danger to them.

“I scuba dive pretty regularly and I know what seals look like,” he said.

“If they see the bags, they will play with them or try to eat them.”

Three shipping containers washed ashore at Seaford in East Sussex on Tuesday.

A spokesman for HM Coastguard said a container was found along with the wreckage at Beachy Head off Littlehampton, West Sussex.

“A plane was sent to investigate the area on Friday and no other containers were seen offshore,” they added.

They said containers coming ashore at Selsey, Eastbourne, Newhaven, Rustington, Rottingdean and Beachy Head were monitored.

They landed a month later 16 containers crash from Baltic Klipper cargo ship near Isle of Wight and days after several more containers fell from two ships off the island during Storm Goretti.

East Sussex County Council has urged members of the public to take extra care if they visit the coastline.

“Please keep dogs on a leash as some food items that end up on the shoreline could harm them,” a spokesperson added.

“Contact your district or district council to report any new debris you find on our beaches or to inquire about whether volunteers are required.”

Eastbourne Borough Council has been approached for comment.