Staff at the Scottish Seabird Centre in East Lothian raised the alarm after they spotted the mammal floating in the water before it came ashore near the harbour

A dead whale has washed up on a beach in East Lothian.

Staff at the Scottish Seabird Centre raised the alarm after they spotted the mammal floating in the water at high tide on Wednesday, before it came ashore near the harbour at West Bay Beach.

East Lothian Council have now confirmed the whale is at the beach in North Berwick while they wait for it to be removed.

The local authority has warned people to keep a ‘suitable distance’ from the minke whale and to keep dogs away from it.

It tweeted: “Unfortunately a dead minke whale has washed up at North Berwick. We are currently arranging for its removal but the public are advised to keep a suitable distance from the whale and not to allow dogs to go near the carcass.”

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: “We were first aware of a dead whale sighted off North Berwick yesterday afternoon and following the tide pattern overnight it has now washed up onto the West Beach.

“The council is currently arranging suitable equipment to uplift and take away the carcass. We are also advising members of the public to keep a suitable distance away from the whale including keeping dogs on leads and not allowed near the whale.”

source: mirror.co.uk