​A MILE long oil slick was spotted off the coast of Thanet on Monday.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) was alerted to the spillage by satellite footage which recorded a large dark mass a mile long by quarter if a mile wide.

MCA’s counter pollution officer, Donald McDonald, said on Tuesday : “We found there was a mile long slick of fuel oil which may have been there for sometime. However, it seem to dissipate overnight because ships might have broken it up.

“It is a possibility that it could get washed up ashore in either large or small lumps.”

Mr McDonald alerted the E nvironment A gency, N atural English and Kent Wildlife Trust and launched an investigation into the cause. Officers are trying to contact the 36 ships which passed through the area at the time the slick appeared.

Mr McDonald added: “We’re not sure where the slick has come from but all ships carry oil. It could have been caused by the age old problem of a ship dumping oil and water waste.”

The MCA was unable to confirm how much oil has leaked or been dumped into the channel. See this Friday's Gazette for the full story.