Bodies of sperm whales wash up on beaches

Sperm whales have washed-up at beaches in the mouth of the Humber

The carcasses of three sperm whales have been found in East Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire.

Two currently remain on mud on the banks of the Humber estuary near Spurn Point.

It is not clear when the whales entered the estuary or if they will be removed.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) said it was saddened by the deaths and had offered to support British Divers Marine Life Rescue.

A third whale has washed up dead on Humberston Fitties beach in Cleethorpes.

The East Yorkshire location is popular with dog walkers, who have been surprised at the sight of the carcasses.

One walker told the BBC: “I am absolutely staggered that something that size could even come up the Humber let alone get so far up.

"It’s absolutely incredible.”

Another added: "It's really sad.

"I have never seen anything like that before."

A spokesperson for YWT told the BBC: "We are very sad to hear about the stranding and subsequent death of these sperm whales.

"These are beautiful, deep-water mammals that can easily get into trouble when they move into shallower waters in the North Sea and strong tides can then push them down the Humber estuary.

"We’ve offered our local knowledge and support to British Divers Marine Life Rescue and thank them for their quick response to this very sad case.

"Hopefully, subsequent tests can help explain why this happened."

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