Three sperm whales found dead washed up on Skegness beach

Whales are thought to be part of same pod as another discovered on the Norfolk coast on Friday

Three dead sperm whales have been discovered washed up on the Lincolnshire coast.

One of the whales was found dead on Skegness beach at about 6.30am on Sunday morning, while the two others were discovered a few miles south at about 8.30pm on Saturday evening.

It has been confirmed that the mammals were dead before they landed on the beach.

Coastguard rescue teams from Skegness and Chapel St Leonards were called to cordon off the area and members of the public are being advised not to come close to the dead animals.

However, according to East Lindsey District Council, moving the whales may take some time due to legal issues surrounding interering with the carcasses.

This comes after another sperm whale, estimated to be 45ft long and weighing 30 tonnes, died on Friday after becoming stranded in shallow waters off the coast of west Norfolk, despite rescue workers' efforts to release it.

The three whales who died on the Lincolnshire coast are thought to be part of the same pod spotted by the rescue team on Friday, but it is the whereabouts of the rest of the pod remains unknown.

Natalie Emmerson, from Hunstanto Sealife Sanctuary, told ITV News: "It is entirely possible that these whales at Skegness are from the same pod. If all have washed up dead it is too much of a coincidence.

"It is possible that they were on the rocks and injured themselves as they managed to free themslves."

The Grimsby Telegraph reports scientists from the Natural History Museum in London have already been to the scene to carry out an investigation into the whales' deaths.