Ship’s wreck containing thousands of tons of explosives in the Thames Estuary could cause Beirut-style explosion

The massive explosion which devastated a large swathe of the Lebanese capital Beirut sent shock waves through the world.

But could such a tragedy ever happen here?

The SS Richard Montgomery ran aground and sank just off Sheerness back in 1944.

And as our chief correspondent Alex Thomson has been finding out – the ship’s wreck still contains thousands of tons of explosive ordinance.