A huge 8ft lump of polystyrene found floating off the Cornish coast has been described as the "biggest piece of litter" ever recovered from water around Britain's shores.

Charity Surfers Against Sewage said they had never come across such a large piece of waste, as it highlighted the scourge of plastic washing up on Britain's beaches.

The mass of polystyrene was taken out of the water on Ashtorre Slipway, in Saltash, Cornwall by Saltash Town Council wardens.

One of the wardens posing with the piece of debris was dwarfed by it and a further picture showed how it barely fit into a large van.

A spokesman for Saltash Town Council said: "The Lead Town and Waterfront Warden has this morning advised that sometime yesterday the throw-line on the life ring at Saltash Pier was deliberately cut.

"This is dangerous and could put lives at risk.