‘Fatbergs’ wash up 80 years after Nazi attack

Large blocks of fat which were once valuable cargo on a Second World War merchant ship have washed up on the east coast almost 80 years after the boat was attacked in the North Sea by enemy aircraft fire.

The animal lard has been found on the shore at Inverbervie and Gourdon in Aberdeenshire after the seabed was churned up by recent storms.

The fat was part of the cargo of the MS Taurus which was attacked by enemy aircraft south of Stone have non 6 June ,1941.

Although the barrels in which the fat was packed have long since disappeared, the oily blocks have remained remarkably intact.

It is understood the fat was due to be used in making lipstick and soap, but locals recall it was scooped up from the beach, melted, purified and then used for frying chips when a large batch washed up several decades ago.

The fat was part of a 7,000-tonne consignment of food on board the MS Taurus, with pine kernels and cocoa also on board.

The ship had voyaged from Freetown and was travelling to Hull via Oban and Aberdeen when it was struck. It was targeted by three Luftwaffe bombs as it sailed south of Stonehaven.