On behalf of the National Trust and its many supporters, we, the trust's property managers for the two areas of our coastline most affected by the Napoli disaster, would like to express our gratitude for the many offers of help and solidarity that we have received over the past two weeks.

Branscombe Beach and Burton Bradstock as well as other West Dorset beaches are still being cleaned by specialist contractors. Due to the potential hazardous nature of some of the cargo that has come ashore from the Napoli we are currently unable to make use of offers of volunteer help, but would hope to do so in the future.

The weather forecast for later this week is not promising and we are, therefore, bracing ourselves for the possibility that more containers and their contents may be washed up on these World Heritage Site beaches. Sadly, if this is the case, then the specialist contractors will have to continue with their difficult task of salvage and beach cleaning.

Helen Mann (West Dorset), John Channon (Branscombe, National Trust.