The public is being reminded about the law when it comes to finding wreck material on our coastline, after reports people have been taking equipment from a wrecked fishing boat on the Cornish coast.

The warning comes after a number of people have taken equipment from the French fishing boat Le Sillon, which washed up on rocks near Porthcothan over the weekend.

Falmouth Coastguard coordinated the rescue of the six crewmen on board on Saturday 1 February after Le Sillon was hit by large waves in the stormy conditions, knocking out the power and steering.

Alison Kentuck, receiver of wreck with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), said: "All wreck material recovered must be reported, however small or seemingly insignificant. The type of material that must be reported includes any part of the hull, fixtures, fittings, cargo and any fishing equipment.

"If you recover an item, you have 28 days to fill out one of our report forms and submit it to us. You can find the forms on our website www.dft.gov.uk/mca.

"Those who don't declare items are breaking the law and could find themselves facing fines of up to £2,500 and paying the owner twice the value of the item recovered."

It's expected the wreck of Le Sillon will continue to break up, due to the recent bad weather. It's currently in an inaccessible area, and HM Coastguard is advising people not to risk their safety trying to reach or view it.