Tragic ending: A giant fin whale washed ashore at Lynmouth, Devon, and is believed to have been dead for a day or two
A giant rare whale has washed up on a beach at a British beauty spot.
The 55ft fin whale - the world's second largest animal and a globally-endangered species - washed ashore at Lynmouth, Devon.
Swansea Coastguard received a call around 8.30am today saying the animal had been marooned on the pebble beach at Lynmouth, close to the Cliff Railway.
Friendly giant: The 55ft fin whale is the world's second largest animal and a globally-endangered species
A Lynmouth coastguard source said the animal had been dead for a day or two.
Lynmouth coastguards are currently in talks with Swansea coastguards about how best to remove the animal.
The fin whale is the second largest animal after the blue whale. It can grow to lengths of up to 85ft and weigh up to 80 tonnes.
Fin whales are most common in the southern hemisphere but smaller populations have been known to inhabit the North Atlantic.
Weighty: The fin whale (one pictured here in Alaska) can grow to lengths of up to 85ft and weigh up to 80 tonnes when fully grown
Visitor Peter Osborne, from Wimborne in Dorset, discovered the whale when he arrived at the resort's seafront car park, under Holladay Hill, to do some early morning fishing.
He contacted the Lynmouth Coastguard Station but when staff arrived, the whale was found to be dead.
Among the first people on the scene were Andy Cleverdon, former Station Officer at Lynmouth Coastguard Station and Heidi Fargher-Harding, wife of the current station officer David Harding, are both medics with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue organisation.
source: dailymail
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