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| Young whale is beached on coast | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Rescue teams have found a whale which has been beached on the Gwynedd coast after apparently losing its way. | |
| The animal, believed to be a young Minke whale, was discovered by Holyhead coastguards after around two hours of searching on Tuesday evening. | |
| It is stranded on the coast at Afon Wen, between Criccieth and Pwllheli but there are hopes it will be able get back out to sea with the tide. | |
| Some onlookers suggest it could be a youngster separated from its mother. | |
| Coastguards sent a team to locate the animal after receiving a report at about 1740 GMT that it had beached at a spot between the rivers Dwyfor and Wen. | |
| An RSPCA officer is on the way to the scene. | |
| The coastguard spokesman said: "It is still alive and lying on the beach, half in water." | |
| 'Quite choppy' | |
| He added: "The tide is coming in and high water is expected in the area at around 10pm, so we're hoping there'll be enough water for it to swim away. | |
| "But that depends if it's strong enough." | |
| It is unknown why or how the whale became beached or if it is ill. | |
| The RSPCA and British Dive Marine Life Rescue - the organisation which assisted the whale that swam up the River Thames last year - are expected to examine the animal later tonight. | |
| Coastguards are helping to keep the whale upright as waves buffet it. | |
| The spokesman said: "Its quite choppy down here at the moment and the waves keep knocking the whale on its side, which is dangerous if water gets in its blowhole." | |
| Holyhead coastguard said they have named the beached animal "Myfanwy". |