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..............Large amounts of wood have washed ashore on the coastline around Ramsgate and Margate, Dover Coastguard said.
A spokesman said not all the timber had come ashore and a large amount could still be drifting in the sea.
Kent Police have warned people not to remove any timber from the shoreline but coastguards said there had been reports of people trying to collect the wood.
Alison Kentuck, Receiver of Wreck, said: "The timber is not suitable for building material, it is saturated with salt water.
"The simple message is, it is not a case of finders keepers. The timber does have an owner and that is not likely to be the person picking it up off the beach.
"They must by law report all of their recoveries to the receiver and it is a criminal offence if they fail to do so." ................
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7844112.stm
MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT 1995
All wreck material which comes from UK territorial waters, and any wreck which is landed in the UK from outside UK territorial waters must by law (Section 236 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995) be declared to the Receiver of Wreck.
Wreck is defined as anything which is found in or on the sea, or washed ashore from tidal water. All items which are raised, regardless of age or importance, must be reported to the Receiver of Wreck.
Finders who report their finds to the Receiver of Wreck have salvage rights. The Receiver of Wreck acts to settle questions of ownership and salvage.
This part of the 1995 Merchant Shipping Act is administered by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency through the Receiver of Wreck.
http://www.ukshipregister.co.uk/mcga07-home/emergencyresponse/mcga-receiverofwreck/mcga-rowrole/mcga-dops_row_receiver_of_wreck/mcga-dops_row_law.htm