Large buoy retrieved in Worthing after breaking free near Littlehampton - 'No one had ever seen anything quite like it'
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The anchored float, that marks one of the outfall pipes from Littlehampton, broke free about two-and-a-half miles south of the shore amid Storm Claudio on Thursday (November 3).
Eye-witness, and Worthing resident, Trevor Smart, 76, said he was eating lunch near the Worthing Lido around 12.30pm when he saw the huge yellow object wash up during half-tide.
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Hide Ad“It had a distress light on it,” he said. “They [Littlehampton Harbour] had a special vehicle there and they hauled up the body of it.
“They had a hauling device on each end and they used it as a big wedge and gradually worked it up the beach.
“No one had ever seen anything quite like it before. The wind was so strong.”
Littlehampton Harbour said it was alerted to the incident by a member of the public.
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Hide AdHarbourmaster Harry Gregory added: “It is owned by a water company and broke free during the recent heavy weather.
"We saw the photos and were able to identify it. We contacted the owners and agreed to go and secure it. It is being put back out.
"It does happen with offshore buoys from time to time. Small buoys tend to break free fairly regularly. Larger buoys are slightly more unusual but it’s certainly not unheard of.”