Pilot whale put down after Castle Beach stranding

The whale was found on a beach near Falmouth

A pilot whale has been put down after becoming stranded on a beach in Cornwall.

Wildlife experts said the animal, which was in a poor state when it was found, was too ill to survive.

The 4.1m (13ft) whale was discovered at Castle Beach, near Falmouth, just before midday.

Dave Jarvis, of British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), said the animal was in such poor condition that if it was refloated it would sink and drown.

Earlier the charity told BBC News that the welfare of the whale was its "first priority" and that refloating it was "not always the best thing".

The juvenile long-finned pilot whale was found with superficial abrasions and some marks on its body.

BDMLR also said its muscle mass was "quite poor".

Alex Knight, BDMLR chairman, said it was unusual to have a single stranding as pilot whales generally live and travel in pods.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust's Marine Strandings Network is now organising for a post-mortem examination to be carried out.

In 2011 there was a mass stranding of about 70 pilot whales at Durness, off Cape Wrath in Scotland, and last year, nearly 30 stranded at Anstruther in Fife, but in both cases many of them were successfully refloated.