EXCLUSIVE

by Melissa Hills

A HUMPBACK whale has been found dead in the River Thames at Dartford.

The dead whale, measuring just under 10 metres or 32 foot, was discoved on Saturday morning close to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge.

The whale was first spotted in the River Thames between Northfleet and Tilbury on Thursday evening, when experts thought it could have been a northern bottlenose whale.

No further sightings were then reported before the sad discovery at the edge of the river early on Saturday.

The whale's body was then moved to Denton Wharf at Gravesend where a post mortem was carried by scientists from the Zoological Society.

The results of which are expected later today.

A spokesman for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), which was called to the original sighting last Thursday, said the whale was thought to be a juvenile male.

It is not the first time such a whale has washed up in Kent waters - two years ago a humpback turned up on a beach on Sheppey, pictured above by Tony Flashman.

For the full story and pictures see this Thursday's Messenger.