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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Dead whale is washed up on coast | Dead whale is washed up on coast |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A dead whale thought to have been stranded in the Bristol Channel has been washed up on a south Wales beach. | A dead whale thought to have been stranded in the Bristol Channel has been washed up on a south Wales beach. |
| The 33ft (10m) minke whale has ended up at the Knap in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. | The 33ft (10m) minke whale has ended up at the Knap in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. |
| The whale is believed to have been initially sighted off Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, on Monday and rescuers tried unsuccessfully to tow it out to sea. | The whale is believed to have been initially sighted off Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, on Monday and rescuers tried unsuccessfully to tow it out to sea. |
| The Vale of Glamorgan council is dealing with the incident. Barry Coastguard team are also at the scene. | The Vale of Glamorgan council is dealing with the incident. Barry Coastguard team are also at the scene. |
| Dave Ball, coastguard rescue officer with Barry Coastguard Rescue Team, said: "It has clearly been dead for some days at least. This sort of thing does happen from time to time. | |
| "There have been reports of a dead whale in the sea here for some time." | "There have been reports of a dead whale in the sea here for some time." |
| Water-bikers Derek Jones and his 12-year-old son Sean, from Bristol, spotted the mammal still alive in the estuary at about 1700 BST on Monday. | Water-bikers Derek Jones and his 12-year-old son Sean, from Bristol, spotted the mammal still alive in the estuary at about 1700 BST on Monday. |
| Coastguards say the whale has been dead for some days | Coastguards say the whale has been dead for some days |
| They unsuccessfully tried to tow it back out to sea with a rope attached to their water bike. | They unsuccessfully tried to tow it back out to sea with a rope attached to their water bike. |
| Mark Simmonds, science director at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, said: "Assuming it is indeed a minke whale, they are fairly commonly seen close to the shore around the UK, but more so in the north rather than the south. | Mark Simmonds, science director at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, said: "Assuming it is indeed a minke whale, they are fairly commonly seen close to the shore around the UK, but more so in the north rather than the south. |
| "The minke whale is the smallest of the filter feeding whales that we often see in the UK. | "The minke whale is the smallest of the filter feeding whales that we often see in the UK. |
| "When whales are sick or wounded they might come ashore and the size of this whale is quite large." | "When whales are sick or wounded they might come ashore and the size of this whale is quite large." |
| He said he was sure the father and son meant well, "but towing it is not ideal as it could cause more harm - you should always call the experts." | He said he was sure the father and son meant well, "but towing it is not ideal as it could cause more harm - you should always call the experts." |