A houseboat that sank in Newquay Harbour is being dismantled after its owners did not comply with a request to move the vessel.

The owners of Ros Min informed the harbour office of their intention to leave at the next favourable spring tide when the former motor fishing vessel arrived at the South Quay in mid-November.

The harbour master gave notice to the owner to remove the boat from the harbour when this did not happen. The harbour team and local contractors removed oil and diesel from the vessel after the legal notice was not followed due to the poor weather predicted.

The harbour team collected debris from the vessel over the weekend after the boat became damaged during the stormy weather on Friday.

Christopher Jones, Cornwall Council’s maritime manager, said: “We now consider this boat to be a wreck and have exercised our powers in an emergency and taken possession of the vessel. We are now in the process of raising, removing and disposing of the vessel.’’

Luke Rogers, chairman of Cornwall Harbours Board, said: “Newquay’s harbour team have worked swiftly to remove this vessel and minimise pollution. The cost of removing and disposing of the vessel will be passed on to the owners.”