Dead dolphin ends up on beach

THE carcass of a dolphin washed up on the coast of West Somerset this week, prompting hopes that water quality may be improving.

Strollers Alison Gould and Lisa Clarke encountered this carcass, believed to be dead dolphin, on West Street beach, Watchet, on Tuesday lunchtime.

Mrs Gould, who comes from a keen fishing family, says she has never seen dolphins or porpoises off the West Somerset coast.

She said: "I've lived here all my life and I've never heard of a dolphin around here because the water is too dirty.

"The carcass was about four feet long but was badly decomposed and there was a nasty smell.
"We just went for a walk to kill some time on the last day of the summer holidays - it was quite a shock to find it.

"Hopefully, if they are about, it means the water is getting cleaner."

Yesterday (Wednesday), a spokesman for West Somerset Council said: "We have informed the relevant agencies and made arrangements for our contractors to remove the carcass today."