Expert to examine whale washed up on Cleethorpes beach (Lincolnshire, UK)

Washed up : The minke found at Cleethorpes beach, near Wonderland, at 11.50pm on Sunday. Picture : Jon Corken

Tuesday, October 15, 2013. A LEADING expert from the Natural History Museum will perform a post mortem on a whale that washed onto Cleethorpes beach on Sunday.

Humber Coastguard were called out at 11.50pm after reports that the 14ft minke whale had been spotted on the shore near Wonderland.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s Beach Safety Team were also on the scene, but there was little they could do for the whale, which was already dead.

They also dealt with a dead seal, which was found by the Fitties and remained visible on the shore for most of yesterday.

However, the cases are unrelated and a council spokesman said it was “fairly common” that seals are found on the beach as it is pupping season at nearby Donna Nook.

The case of the whale, however, is unusual, as minke whales, who prefer arctic conditions, are rarely found this far south.

Although the body of a dead minke was found at North Cotes in April last year.

But the case has attracted interest from the scientific community and an expert based at London’s Natural History Museum yesterday volunteered to travel to the area and do a post mortem on the creature.

It will be dependent on whether the tide has taken the carcass out to sea over the course of the evening.

A council spokesman said: “The minke was 14ft long and found 300 yards to half-a-mile out.

“Someone from Natural History told us yesterday that they wanted to examine the animal because they’re not often found this far south.

“The only problem is that we can’t be sure that it will still be here in the morning because of the tides.

“There was a very strong wind blowing into shore this weekend so it is possible that that was the reason both the whale and seal were washed up.”

Humber Coastguard confirmed they spent half an hour at the incident before leaving it with the Beach Safety Team.

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