THE OIL slick from the tanker Sea Empress has now encircled Lundy Island off the north Devon coast - the second of Britain's three marine nature reserves to be hit by the disaster.
Meanwhile, in the House of Commons, the Labour transport spokesman, Mr Graham Allen, said he had been passed information indicating no message was received by coast guards on the night the oil tanker went aground off the Welsh coast. "If the message was sent and not picked up then serious questions would arise as to the effect of government cuts on the numbers of coast guards and the ability of those remaining to do their job effectively," said Mr Allen.
Conservationists are to start a rescue operation for sea birds. There are fears that nationally important species and habitats are being threatened.
The Devon Wildlife Trust is working with the RSPCA and English Nature to retrieve 20 oiled guillemots which have been washed up on the island's beaches.
"These birds need to be boxed and shipped back to the mainland for cleaning at the RSPCA's West Hatch cleaning station near Taunton, Somerset," said a DWT spokesman.
The trust said there was deep concern about the effects the environmental disaster may have on Lundy. "Thousands of sea birds are at risk," said a DWT marine conservation officer, Ms Joan Edwards.
There were internationally important populations of guillemots, razorbills and other sea birds "rafting" in the Bristol Channel, literally in the path of the oil, she said.
Three mile long Lundy, 12 miles off north Devon, is the nesting ground for thousands of sea birds, which have just begun to returning to its steep cliffs to breed.
The oil sheen has drifted around 50 miles from the Milford Haven disaster site.
The Marine Conservation Society said it was "deplorable" that Lundy Island had become the second Statutory Marine Nature Reserve to be hit, in the wake of the environmental impact on the reserve at Skomer Island, off the Welsh coast.
A conservation officer, Mr Chris Berry, said conservationists were not exaggerating the potential impact of the spill and said the Marine Conservation Society was calling for a full and thorough public inquiry into the Sea Empress incident.
The pumping operation to remove 25,000 tonnes of oil from the Sea Empress on to the Star Bergen will begin at first light today. Mr Chris Harris, the coast guard chief executive, co ordinating the salvage operation, said there were no plans to rush the discharge of oil.
The second discharge would probably take place next week. Attempts to recover oil at sea have now ended and most of the major slicks have dispersed, leaving only a film of oil on the water, he said.
Prince Charles intends to visit the area next Thursday.