A 50ft dead whale has washed up on a beach in Devon.
The decaying fin whale was discovered on Red Rock beach, near Dawlish Warren on Thursday morning.
Coastguards tracked the carcass as it floated in the sea, thinking it was an upturned boat, the Torquay Herald Express reported.
A cordon has been put around the whale and Teignbridge Council has asked observers to keep a “respectful distance” away from the mammal for heath and safety reasons.
Initial reports suggested that the mammal was a deceased sperm shale, but this has now been refuted by experts.
Photos from the scene show the sheer size of the fin whale, with some of its skin missing in places.
Earlier this year six sperm whales became stranded on English coasts in a matter of weeks.
Experts believe that the whales were from the same pod as the 12 who became stranded on the coastlines in Germany and Netherlands a few days before.