Public urged to avoid area of beach where dead whale has washed up
Residents are being asked to stay away from the area of a Teesside beach where a dead whale washed up this week.
Visitors to Redcar first spotted the remains of the animal on the beach on Thursday. A spokesperson for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said: "We are aware that a whale has been washed up on Redcar beach. For safety reasons, we ask that residents avoid this area of the beach."
This is believed to be the second dead whale to have washed up on Teesside shores in less than a week. On Monday residents in Hartlepool reported a whale had been washed up at Headland North Shore.
On Friday, a spokesperson for Hartlepool Council said: "The council has been working with a number of partner organisations over the last few days to secure the safe removal of the dead whale from a beach on the Headland.
"Due to the sheer size of the whale and its location, this will be a complex operation that requires a specialist company. This is likely to take a number of days and in the meantime we would ask that people stay away from the whale's body."
The last time a large whale was reported washing up on Redcar beach was in October 2022. At the time, a spokesperson from British Divers Marine Life Rescue said: "They do wash up on the beach from time to time.... Our advice if you do come across any marine mammal, whether it is alive or dead, is to give plenty of space because they do carry diseases that people can catch. There may be a lot of enthusiasm and eagerness to go and touch it but please do keep your distance."
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