SALVAGE operations on the stricken container ship MSC Napoli have been suspended for the winter months.

The arrival of autumnal storms has led to fears for the safety of salvors and the environment.

Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of State's representative for maritime intervention and salvage, has opted to put off the work until spring next year.

He said: "The decision to suspend salvage operations for the MSC Napoli was necessary to lessen the risks that the onset of harsher autumnal weather would have presented to the safety of the salvors involved.

"The conditions under which salvors are operating are now becoming increasingly treacherous.

"During the initial incident no lives were lost, and my aim is to lessen the risks to anyone involved in the operation during this final phase."

Napoli was beached off Dorset and Devon in January 2007 after running into difficulty in the English Channel.

Containers filled with items including BMW motorbikes and biscuits washed up along the coast, which led to looting.

Mr Shaw said: "To date, 2,800 tonnes of the aft section have been successfully removed.

"However, the remaining section is heavily constructed and proving difficult to dismantle."