The body of a dolphin has washed up on the beach at Sandwich Bay.

It was found on Monday and there are fears it could be Dave the Dolphin, which was a major tourist attraction in Folkestone and Hythe.

Dave - who is actually female - has not been seen since November last year after suffering a severe injury to its tail, thought to have been caused by fishing line or a boat propeller.

Trevor Weeks, a national co-ordinator with British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said: "We do get bodies washing up, but they are normally porpoises. Without going to the site or seeing photos we cannot say whether or not it is Dave."

Earlier this year, the body of a small dolphin washed up on the beach at Lydd, but BDMLR confirmed it was not Dave.

Dave entertained visitors to Shepway with her ducking and diving for around 18 months and was usually seen near a rock groyne in Seabrook.