Work starts to remove dead whale

The minke whale was washed up at Seascale

Work is continuing to remove a dead 20ft whale which was washed up on the Cumbrian coast on Friday night.

The minke whale and another unidentified sea mammal, were washed up in Friday's high tide at Seascale.

Experts from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) are investigating the deaths.

The discovery comes as a whale watch begins in Cumbria as part of a project to assess marine mammal numbers and the effects of rising sea temperatures.

Minke whales can grow up to 30ft long and have been seen off the coast of Scotland, although they prefer cooler regions to tropical areas.

A spokeswoman for BDMLR said: "Many of the injuries would have been received when the whale was washed-up over rocks."

Minke whales are dark above and white below with a pointed head.

They are found in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic Oceans.

Minke whales feed on fish and krill and can be found in groups of up to four.