Many ships have run aground over the years around Chesil Beach or Portland.

A combination of winter gales, treacherous currents, undertow and Chesil Beach have proved a disastrous.

On these pages are some of the vessels which have come to a sticky end in the area. Many thanks go to Andy Hutchings for sharing his extensive postcard collection.

It is believed there have been at least 1,000 shipwrecks along the Dorset coast over the centuries.

One vessel which experienced more than her fair share of bad luck was the Preveza. This Greek-owned vessel collected coal and stores at Portland which were not paid for before she left for Cardiff. Having been refused entry in Cardiff for not being insured, she went to return to Rotterdam and went aground broadside on Chesil. Local creditors nailed writs to the mast to prevent her from leaving. Heavy seas did their worst and she broke up.

French ketch L'Arguenon proved an interesting sight for residents who were out for a Christmas Day stroll in 1930. She was en route from Poole to St Malo and dropped her anchors on a windy night. Her ballast was lightened so she could be towed off by a salvage expert.

Also of interest is the steamer Patroclus, which got into trouble at Blacknor Point on Portland, returned to service after repair in Portland Harbour and was sunk during the First World War.

When the Madeleine Tristan was driven ashore in Chesil Cove in September 1930 many residents enjoyed boarding the vessel over the bank holiday weekend to experience the thrill of being on a real wreck.

If you have any old pictures you would like to share, email us at thedispatch@newsquest.co.uk