Whale dies after washing-up on beach
Northern bottlenose whales are usually found in deeper waters
At a glance
A northern bottlenose whale has died after washing up on a beach near Worthing, West Sussex
Rescuers were unable to return it to the water
- Published
A whale has died after becoming stranded on a beach on the Sussex coast.
The coastguard said the alarm was raised after the northern bottlenose whale washed-up on East Beach, Littlehampton, on Saturday afternoon.
Littlehampton Coastguard rescue team confirmed on Sunday that the whale died after attempts to get it back into the sea failed.
Arun District Council has warned people not to go near the whale, saying it was a "biohazard".
The council described the whale as a "beautiful creature that deserves respect".
"Talking selfies with it, or even letting your dog urinate against it, is not cool," it added in a Facebook post.
The coastguard said a vet from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue also joined the effort to save the whale before it died.
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Northern bottlenose whales are most commonly found in the North Atlantic Ocean although they have been known to wash up on beaches across the Baltic Sea.
Adults can reach up to 10m (33ft) in length and feed primarily on squid.
In July, two northern bottlenose whales became stranded on the east coast of Scotland.
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