One billion plastic pellets spilled into River Tyne after two ships collide

People who live in the surrounding area said nurdles covered the whole stretch of South Shields beach. Photograph: Fidra

Approximately a billion tiny plastic nurdles have entered the River Tyne after a “devastating spill”, with the pellets thought to have spread much further than first thought.

Nurdles, which are usually 1mm-5mm in size, act as the raw material to manufacture most plastic products.