A 65ft-long whale has died after being washed up on a Cornish beach on Monday evening.
Hundreds of holidaymakers flocked to the scene at Carolyn Bay in St Austell, which was cordoned off to prevent more distress to the female fin whale.
Beached 65ft-long whale dies in Cornwall (Picture: Sky News)Vets from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) were unable to save the mammal, which had suffered injuries to its head and was severely undernourished.
The group scotched earlier reports that its vets had euthanised the endangered animal.
"Locals reported that it had already stranded earlier, so the prognosis was not good and the decision was taken by the attending vets that it would be more humane to euthanise the animal rather than let it suffer a slow and lingering death," said a spokesman.
"However, the whale died naturally and this was not necessary."
Inspector Dave Meredith, from Devon and Cornwall Police, who tweeted updates throughout the incident, said: "The stranded whale has now passed away. Due to its injuries and poor condition there was no hope of rescue.
"A very sad incident for us all."
The BDMLR said the whale was "incredibly undernourished" and had a very high breathing rate which suggested it was "very sick and distressed".
The group said a post-mortem is due to be carried out to find the cause of death, and warned the public that it is an offence to take any part of a whale without an appropriate licence.
The fin whale, the second largest animal on the planet after the blue whale, can grow up to 85ft long, weigh up to 74 tonnes, and live for 90 years.
It feeds on krill, small fish and squid and is often found in groups of two to seven animals.
