Beach cleaning at Portheras Cove

Posted on: 27th June 2015

Beach cleaning at Portheras Cove has been completed thanks to the determination of the ‘Friends’ group and the response of St Just Town Council. Cornwall Garden Services, who undertook the challenging task, also deserve a mention.

This was the washed up wreckage from the Alacrity that was causing the problems:

Portheras Beach showing wreckage

Portheras Beach showing wreckage from the Alacrity

Portheras Beach showing wreckage

Portheras Beach showing wreckage from the Alacrity

Letter from the Friends of Portheras Cove to St Just Town Council:

Dear Mr Mayor and members of St Just Town Council,

On behalf of all the Friends of Portheras Cove we would like to say a massive ‘thank you’ for your support in facilitating the clearing of the metal and marine debris mound at Portheras, which has blighted the path to the cove since the dissolution of the District Council.

As the cove is a privately owned beach, we were well aware that you had no legal responsibility to take on this task. Penwith District Council had in previous years always funded the ongoing clearance works after the exploding of the shipwrecked Alacrity in 1981. PDC’s successor Cornwall Council, despite many communications from us indicating the danger the debris was posing to the public, refused any assistance with the matter.

Without your generous decision to finance and commission this work, the debris would have continued to be an eyesore, hazard to beachgoers, and environmental danger area for long into the future. The men from CGS Contractors did a wonderful job of cutting the metal, removing the fragments and associated rubbish, and clearing the site. We have enclosed some ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs to show just what a difference this has made.

Portheras Beach clearing in progress

Portheras Beach clearing in progress

We will continue to keep the cove cleared of litter as best we can, and are working with the network of community conservation groups across Cornwall to take part in a variety of marine education and conservation projects which will hopefully benefit the whole of our County.

Yours sincerely,
Delia Webb and David Weddle on behalf of the Friends of Portheras Cove

The cleared beach – thanks to all!

Portheras Beach Cleared