Stranded whale is destroyed

A MINKE whale was put down and later removed after it became stranded on a North Sea beach yesterday.

Experts from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity went to the aid of the 26ft animal when it was found in Druridge Bay, Northumberland, at about 7am.

A vet was also called out and the whale was assessed as being too thin to be returned to the sea.

Vet Sam Prescott said: “Others had ascertained that it wasn’t going to be viable for a refloat and so the most humane thing to do was going to be euthanasia.”

Beached whales are the property of the Queen, and the Receiver of the Wrecks was informed yesterday.