Britain's Environment Agency yesterday threw 500 cucumbers into the Irish Sea to find out why sheep droppings are floating ashore on British beaches. The biodegradable cucumbers have been painted five colours, to be dropped off at different marine "launch sites". They were chosen because they float below the surface and are driven by tides. "It may seem unusual but cucumbers are ideal for this experiment," said agency spokesman Mr Mike Weston.
Scientists want to pinpoint where sheep droppings, which sometimes appear on beaches at Blackpool, are coming from.