A STRANGE white substance has been appearing on beaches along the North Yorkshire coastline.

Scarborough Borough Council is drawing up a plan for a clean-up of several beaches in the borough after a substance in the form or large white lumps washed up on the shoreline during on Wednesday afternoon and overnight into Thursday.

Unconfirmed sightings of the white lumps have so far been reported at various points along the coast from Sandsend in the north to Cayton Bay in the south.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has identified it as paraffin wax, which is low risk to humans, animals and the environment.

However, the council is advising sensible precautions for anyone coming across the white lumps when visiting the coastline.

Nick Edwards, Scarborough Borough Council director said: “While the presence of paraffin wax on the coastline should not deter people visiting our beaches, we ask people to use common sense, not handle the substance and also keep dogs and children away from it.”

Following its established marine pollution response plans, council staff are carrying out inspections of all beaches in the borough today (Thursday, May 4) to get a full understanding of exactly where the substance has been washed up.

The information gathered will be used to put together an action plan for removing the substance from the shoreline.

The council will then work with its partner organisations - North Yorkshire County Council and Maritime and Coastguard Agency to begin the clean-up before the end of the week.

While the council understands that people from communities along the coast may like to help with the clean-up operation, the authority is not currently seeking assistance from volunteers.