Clearing up oil spilled along the Manawatu coast is likely to take a couple of days, the regional council says.
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="656px" width="1050px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Foxton Beach Photo: Horizons Regional Council
Horizons regional council was alerted yesterday to the oil dotted intermittently along 10 kilometres of coast at Waitarere, Foxton, Himatangi and Tangimoana beaches.
Workers with shovels and bin-liners have been cleaning up the blobs today.
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="768px" width="576px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Blobs of oil are on Foxton Beach and other parts of the coast. Photo: Horizons Regional Council
The council's on-scene commander, Ian Lowe, told Morning Report no more oil had washed ashore on the overnight tide and the situation was under control.
Samples of the oil had been sent for testing to try to determine its source. The council says the risk to marine life is minimal.
Listen to Ian Lowe
The council is asking that people to stay clear of the beaches while teams carry out the clean up.