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Rescue for birds covered in 'glue' in Dorset Rescue for birds covered in 'wax' in the south west
(35 minutes later)
Scores of seabirds have been washed up on the Dorset coast, covered in a white glue-like substance. Hundreds of seabirds - some dead - have been washed up along England's south west coast, covered in a white waxy substance.
The RSPB confirmed more than 100 birds had been rescued and taken to the West Hatch Animal Centre in Taunton.The RSPB confirmed more than 100 birds had been rescued and taken to the West Hatch Animal Centre in Taunton.
Many of the birds have been found at Chesil Cove near Weymouth but others are washing up as far west as Charmouth and Lyme Bay. Many were found at Chesil Cove near Weymouth but others are appearing up to 200 miles away in Cornwall.
Some of the birds, which include guillemots, have died but rescuers are trying to save others. Some birds, which include guillemots, have died but rescuers are trying to save others.
Martin Case, warden of Portland Bird Observatory, said "hundreds of birds" were being washed up.
Cleaning 'not working'
He said: "Most of them aren't dead, and if they get cleaned up by the RSPCA, they have a have a chance of survival."
But it is not yet known what the substance is and the RSPCA said its cleaning techniques, normally used to remove oil, were "not working".
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: "We have received reports of seabirds being washed ashore covered in a white waxy substance, from Cornwall to Portland, Dorset.
"We are liaising with the RSPB, RSPCA and Natural England to find out the extent of the problem, and if at all possible, to determine the source."
Tony Whitehead, from the RSPB, said: "We're not just dealing with a bird rescue operation here, it's also a pollution incident.
"We have had a few dead birds washed up over the past few weeks, but not this many.
"More being washed up could be a result of a change in wind directions."
A spokeswoman for Dorset Wildlife Trust said the substance had been described as a white "glue-like" substance.
She urged people not to attempt to rescue any washed up birds but to alert the RSPCA.
She said: "Just picking up the birds from the sea is dangerous, then when you add the weather conditions and waves it becomes very dangerous."
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