COASTGUARDS were called after dozens of cigarette packets and two 20-litre drums of engine oil washed up on a Dorset beach.

Coastguards headed  to Kimmeridge Beach on Wednesday at midday.

During the search they also investigated two 20-litre plastic drums, the contents were identified as old engine oil.

All cigarettes were water damaged and the engine oil was later examined by Dorset Fire and Rescue and taken away.

As reported in the Echo, a cargo ship lost a number of containers and it crossed the channel in storms earlier this month.

There was estimated to be around 11 million cigarettes in the shipment, which was travelling from Rotterdam to Sri Lanka.

Portlanders awoke on Tuesday morning to find Chesil Beach littered with cigarette packets.

The coastguard, police and local authorities have been working together to collect and secure the cigarettes.

Elsewhere, coastguards were called to a report of an empty dinghy which had capsized in Swanage Bay.

The vessel ‘Shania’ towed it to shore at around 12.45pm.

Rescue teams were called to help a lone skipper who was adrift in a motor boat which had suffered engine failure.

The incident happened at around 12.50pm yesterday.

A nearby yacht and a 40-foot motor cruiser responded to the call for help on the VHF channel 16 and helped to tow the ‘Spring Sonata’ back to shore.