Coastguard called as shipwreck spotted from beach

Parts of a steamship which sank more than 100 years ago have been appearing near a popular beach.

Boilers from the 1907 shipwreck were spotted in St Bees, near Whitehaven, Cumbria, with calls made to the coastguard by concerned onlookers.

But it turned out what had been spotted was something local rescue teams have known about for a long time - the remains of the Spanish steamship Izaro.

It crashed into rocks while on its way to deliver iron ore to Maryport, further up the coast, but the crew managed to scramble to safety, according to historical reports.

A Whitehaven Coastguard spokesman said: "The coastguard were already aware of these boilers from our extensive local knowledge, which on occasion are visible on large spring tides.

"Had it been another container washed ashore, then this could have presented an environmental hazard."

Chairman of St Bees Parish Council, Doug Sim, said the ship crashed because it had lost its way in the fog.

"When the tide went down they could see that the ship's prow and stern were lodged upon the rocks," he wrote.

"There was nothing, though, under her amidships. Soon the weight of the cargo caused the unsupported hull to split.

"There was no hope of refloating the Izaro in that condition."

The Izaro's cargo was taken away by barges and, with the ship split in two, workmen took away what they could of the metal for scrap.

According to Mr Sim, as well as the two boilers, the keel and some ironwork is also still visible at particularly low tides off St Bees beach.

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