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Hundreds of tonnes of timber came ashore in Thanet on Thursday after 1,500 tonnes fell off a cargo ship in rough seas in the English Channel on Monday.

As dawn broke, packs of wood, smashed timber and debris were spotted off the coast and on the foreshore at Pegwell Bay and Ramsgate. It also drifted around the coast to Joss Bay at Broadstairs.

• Watch Martin Jefferies's video report at the top right of this page.

Police Area Commander for East Kent, Chief Superintendent John Molloy, reminded people they could be putting themselves at risk by venturing onto the shoreline to collect the wood. He said: "We are working with the Coastguard and our partner agencies to make the beaches safe.

"I would like to remind people that the shoreline can be a dangerous place, particularly with the current poor weather, and people could be putting themselves at unnecessary risk by venturing into the sea to salvage the timber.

"This cargo remains the property of the original owner and to steal it is not only foolhardy, but also a criminal offence.

"Whilst I appreciate that this sight is not commonplace and people may wish to take a look, we ask that they do this from a safe distance and leave the timber alone. Where appropriate, we will also take action against those who create a nuisance, park dangerously or trespass."

He urged anyone venturing to the shore to park considerately so emergency vehicles can reach the area if necessary.

He added: "We are not trying to ruin people's fun but the winter coastline is not a place to take risks."

Coastguard Kelvin Godfrey said: "We had been expecting the wood to by-pass our coast and end up around Dungeness.

"But the heavy seas, high tide and a strong southerly wind has swept it onto our beaches at Ramsgate, Pegwell Bay, and Broadstairs.

"There is quite a lot of wood coming ashore and heading our way - possibly hundreds of tonnes at a guess - and action is being taken to safeguard the beaches."

Mr Godfrey expects the timber - which comes from the Sinegorsk cargo ship - may bypass the main sands around the coast at Margate, but he added that tides and winds later today may see it heading in that direction.

Leader of Thanet District Council, Cllr. Sandy Ezekiel, said: "Council officers are down at the affected beaches with colleagues from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the police. It's really important that people stay away from the coastline at the moment. Having been down to check the scene for myself, I know how poor the weather conditions are right now and anyone who tries to get near the timber will be putting themselves at risk. We'd also like to echo the warnings that the police have already given out to anyone thinking of removing timber from the beaches."

Alison Kentuck, Receiver of Wreck, from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said: "This timber still belongs to its original owners and it's not a case of finder's keepers. Anybody who does recover any timber must report this to the Receiver of Wreck or they are committing a criminal offence. Report forms are available on the MCA website - www.mcga.gov.uk >>>

Under Sections 236 and 237 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, an offence would be committed:

where a vessel is wrecked ... any person (who) conceals or keeps possession of any such cargo or refuses to deliver any such cargo or article to the receiver. It is also an offence of failing to report the wreck to the receiver.

• Related article: Don't put your lives at risk for wood: Coastguard >>>