Northern Spain on alert as plastic pellets from cargo spill wash up on beaches

Political row as Galicia says central government kept news of spill quiet for weeks

Officials in northern Spain have issued alerts after millions of tiny plastic pellets spilled by a cargo ship off Portugal last month washed up on beaches, raising fears of environmental damage and triggering a political row.

Spanish state prosecutors have also launched an investigation after receiving information suggesting the non-biodegradable pellets could be toxic.