Dead minke whale washes up on Ynyslas beach, Ceredigion

Christmas Day beach walkers in mid Wales had a surprise when they stumbled across a dead whale that had been washed up.

The mammal, thought to be a minke whale, was discovered at Ynyslas beach, near Aberystwyth, Ceredigion on Friday.

A coastguard spokesman said a marine expert would take samples before the whale was removed.

Walker Shirley Tunley said: "Over 40 years of Christmas morning visits by the Tunley family but this is a first."