Toxic ships press on towards UK

Four ships carrying toxic chemicals were continuing their journey to Britain from the US today despite the Government saying they would not be allowed to dock.

The ships are believed to have left the Azores and to be heading for Hartlepool, where permission had been granted for them to be broken up.

But Britain's Environment Agency said today the Hartlepool yard, where they would also be recycled, no longer had "proper planning permission". It said demolition company Able UK had two options: to turn the ships back and apply for another waste management licence, which could take months, or find another site for the demolition, either in the UK or another country.

The decrepit vessels are polluted with thousands of tonnes of asbestos, toxic polychlorinated biphenyls and quantities of heavy fuel oil.

Their planned disposal in Britain has caused uproar on both sides of the Atlantic with environmental groups challenging the scheme in court.