Specialist contractors to move body of beached sperm whale

Specialist contractors have been drafted in to move the body of a 20-tonne sperm whale from Withernsea beach in East Yorkshire.

The work will take place over the next few days once logistics have been finalised by East Riding Council and the necessary equipment has been secured.

A section of the South Promenade has been cordoned off in preparation of the contractor arriving on site and removing the animal for specialised disposal.

A pod of up to ten sperm whales washed up on the shore on Christmas Eve.

All of the whales died but zoologist Rob Deaville who was working on site, said four of the bodies stranded had their jaw bones removed - potentially to be sold illegally.