Burnt-out boats are an eyesore in Warwick and could harm the environment, local residents said yesterday.

The two yachts were destroyed by a fire four months ago at a private dock in Riddell’s Bay and are now stuck on rocks near the mouth of the bay.

Mark Riihiluoma, who lives in the area, said the boats have remained untouched since they hit the rocks.

He added: “I haven’t seen any action — nothing. I have been calling Marine Police and the Department of Marine and Ports, but nothing is happening.

“It seems like the onus lies with the owner, but if an owner doesn’t have insurance then it seems to me that it might not be in their best interest to move the boat if something happens.”

Mr Riihiluoma said that apart from the visual impact, he was worried chemicals could be leaking out of the damaged vessels and into the water.

He added: “You can see that the condition of the boats is not great. I don’t know what’s inside them, but it can’t be good for the environment.

“If there is a hurricane and the wind comes out of the wrong direction, I can imagine them getting pulled off the rocks and out into the water, where they could collide with other boats.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Transport and Regulatory Affairs said there were a number of abandoned boats around the island, with some as a result of past hurricanes.