An invasion of soft toys sparked a clean-up operation as furry reindeer, hippos turkeys and dogs washed up on the coastline.

Solent Coastguard has been inundated with calls as hundreds of children's toys mysteriously floated inland along the coast from the Witterings to Littlehampton.

Reindeer measuring 2ft high, wearing hats trousers and wishing people Happy Holidays made their advances into Littlehampton Harbour on Wednesday.

More of their friends landed there yesterday, either still in their bags or battered and soggy from the ordeal.

Marooned pink hippos were spotted on Climping Beach and reported sightings of red-legged turkeys were made from Selsey.

Toy dogs and Christmas decorations washed up further west towards the Witterings.

Littlehampton Harbour Master Colin Hitchcock said 20 washed up on Wednesday afternoon and more than 100 reindeer had gathered in the groynes yesterday morning.

He said: "As the tide was going out, we noticed a multitude of reindeer on the beach along the shoreline.

"We were keeping a look out for a big, fat bloke wearing red with a beard but there was no one around.

"We've taken the ringleader, who we've called Reginald, and put him in captivity in our workshop. He was a bit low so we gave him some sugar lumps and he's happy.

"At the moment, I'm taking up a new job as a reindeer herdsman."

Winds up to gale force nine meant most of the toys had been ripped.

Decapitated heads and limbs scattered Climping Beach.

The toys reached land after falling off a Malaysian ship called Bunga Pelangi in a 40ft carton seven miles south east of Nab Tower at the east side of the Solent at 6.30am on Monday.

Four cartons fell off the ship, which was making its way from Amsterdam to Southampton. They were spotted from a helicopter by Solent coastguards and a tug was called out to recover them but the sea was too rough.

Three sank but the one containing the toys broke open, releasing the contents which drifted towards the Sussex coast.

Solent Coastguard is passing on reports to headquarters and a spokeswoman said: "It's not every day you get reports of hippos washing up."

The shipping company was arranging for contractors to clear the waters yesterday but bad weather was hampering the operation.

Arun District Council's refuse collectors were clearing the coastline yesterday.

Director of the Shoreham-based British Marine Life Study Society Andy Norton, said unusual objects washed up on the shoreline once in a while.

But he could not think of anything so unusual floating on to the coastline on such a scale.

He said: "The only thing that comes to mind is a drug smuggling boat which washed up in Cornwall all the way from the Caribbean probably about ten years ago."

Any toys found must be reported to the Receiver of the Wreck so they can be returned to the owner. Call 023 8032 9474.