The biggest load of rubbish for years landed on Minehead beach this week.

“Piles of debris arrived on Sunday’s tides and littered the beach from the golf course to past the Jubilee Café,” said dog walker Joan Hollis of Alcombe.

“I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve been regularly on the beach for the last 12 years."

Walking her dog on Sunday morning, Minehead resident June King was shocked by the state of the beach: “There were a lot of visitors in the town for the railway’s gala weekend. What must they have thought of the state of our beach?”

And Steve Beart from Porlock, who took this picture, said: “I’ve never seen so much come so quickly.

“There were masses of fishing lines, some with hooks, and great piles of plastic.

“If it isn’t picked up it will be taken by the tide back to sea and cause really massive environmental damage.”

As the week wore on council workers reported that much of the debris had disappeared.

But Adam Reed, voluntary regional representative of the beach-cleaning charity Surfers Against Sewage, said there was still plenty of rubbish around – and he is organising a clean-up on the beach tomorrow morning (Saturday) 11am-1pm starting at the car park opposite Butlin’s. Gloves and bags can be provided.