Atlantic White-sided dolphin ends up on beach

An Atlantic white-sided dolphin washed up on a beach is believed to be the first one found on the Norfolk coast.The discovery of the rare mammal was made by people walking on Brancaster beach on Thursday morning.Last night officials from the National History Museum were arranging for the 2.4-metre long dolphin to be taken to a zoo.

There it will undergo an autopsy to discover how the animal died and where it came from.The National Trust's property manager for the Norfolk coast, John Sizer, said it was thought to be the first time that such a dolphin had been found on the Norfolk coast.“We don't know yet where it might have come from but we do know that its natural habitat would be the deep waters of the North Atlantic,” he said.It was in really good condition but experts will be able to find out more about it when an autopsy is carried out.”

Mary Fisher, from Horning, near Hoveton, was out walking on the beach near the entrance to the golf club when she came across the mammal's corpse.“Its eyes were open and it looked so beautiful lying on the beach. I was really disappointed I didn't have my camera with me because I would loved to have taken a picture,” said Miss Fisher.Youngsters from Catton Grove Primary School at Norwich, on a field trip at the Brancaster Millennium Activity Centre, were also able to get a look at the dolphin.