Litter bin thrown off Worthing pier washes up 450 miles away in Germany

The bin would have travelled across the Channel over six months Credit: Adur & worthing Councils

It started with some mindless vandalism on Worthing Pier but 450 miles away on a beach in Germany there's been a happy ending.

A litter bin, owned by Worthing Borough Council, was thrown into the sea from the end of the pier by vandals. But miraculously, after a six month journey, the bin has been washed up at the island home of Frerk Richter.

The black bin was discovered by Herr Richter who lives on Borkum, a small island and popular tourist destination in the Leer District in north west Germany.

He contacted Worthing Borough Council to share news of the bin’s epic voyage at sea.

The black bin was discovered by Herr Richter who lives on Borkum Credit: Adur & worthing Councils
The bin has now been transformed into a plant holder in Herr Richter’s garden Credit: Adur & worthing Councils

From Worthing, the bin would have travelled across the English Channel and the North Sea before being washed up on the shores of Borkum.

It's now taken up permanent residency on the island, having been transformed into a plant holder in Herr Richter’s garden.

The bin would have travelled across the Channel over six months Credit: Adur & worthing Councils

The local authority is issuing a warning that throwing items in the sea is a serious issue.

It's estimated that 8 million metric tons of plastic alone are dumped into the ocean every year.