Minnie the dog surveys a whale has washed up on a beach between Hornsea and Mappleton
Minnie the dog surveys a whale has washed up on a beach between Hornsea and Mappleton
Dog walkers got a shock today when they came across a large whale that had washed up on the beach after a high tide.

The whale, possibly a minke, washed up earlier today between Hornsea and Mappleton and appears to have been dead for some time.

Julie Haggitt, of Hornsea, posted photographs of the whale on Facebook.

She said: "I was just walking my dog Minnie along the beach between Hornsea and Mappleton when I came across the whale.

"I could see three massive gashes in the body and the tail was missing. It looks like it may have got caught in a ship's propeller. It was quite big when you got up close and it must have been about 15 to 20ft long.

"The whale would normally be black but the skin seemed to have peeled off so it must have been in the water for a while before being washed up.

"I've heard of a whale washing up on the beach before and a shark was also found here too but I have never come across anything like this myself."

Laura Welton, fisheries and wildlife officer for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, believes it probably is a minke whale.

She said: "You can normally tell if it is a minke whale by the white bands on pectoral fins but they are not present so we cannot say for sure.

"But minkes can be seen closer to the shore at this time of year as they chase the herring who come closer to the coast. We also get plenty of dolphin species and humpback whales further out.

"It is sad to see something like this but it is also a reminder of the amazing wildlife we get off our East Yorkshire coast."

Bridlington Coastguard said it hadn't been made aware of the carcass but would liaise with other authorities over the best way to dispose of it.

To report a stranding to the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme call the RSPCA on 0300 1234999 or the British Divers Marine Life Rescue on 01825 765546.