Monday, January 14 – The Ice Prince runs into difficulty around 25 nautical miles from Portland Bill in Dorset.

The crew are eventually forced to abandon ship and 5,000 tons of wood is lost to the sea.

Friday, January 18 – West Sussex County Council, in a joint operation with the Coastguard, issues a warning to small boats and surfers that wood from the stricken ship could cause a hazard in the area.

Saturday, January 19 – By morning it becomes clear most of the wood will hit beaches in West Sussex.

As high tide reaches in the afternoon the first load of wood starts to hit the pebbles at Worthing.

By the evening, councillors and the Coastguard have begun co-ordinating the salvage operation and the first diggers arrive to start collecting the wood.

Sunday, January 20 – As the sun comes up, the sheer scale of wood that has been dumped at Worthing becomes clear.

Visitors flock to see the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle and the rescue effort steps up a gear.

The police issue warnings to potential looters stating anyone who takes timber from the beach could be fined up to £2,500.

Monday, January 21 – Worthing starts counting the cost of the damage to groynes and sea defences and residents begin to ask who is going to pay for repairs.

Tuesday, January 22 – Many beaches remain closed and the rescue effort continues all along the cost. It will still be weeks before the clean-up is complete.

Links to more stories, pictures and video below:

Video: Film of planks washing up on Worthing beach, as well as footage of the piles of planks around Worthing Pier

Video: Wood on the beach from the air

Readers' photographs of wood on Shoreham Beach

Readers' photographs of wood on Worthing and Shoreham beach

Readers' photographs of wood on Worthing beach

Once in a lifetime

Worthing beach wood workers praised

2,000 tons of timber hits West Sussex

Timber washes ashore at Worthing and Shoreham

Don't miss the Herald and Gazette's eight-page picture special on Thursday, January 24.