A sperm whale that became stranded on a beach in Gwynedd has died.

The whale, thought to be a young calf aged between two and three years as it had yet to develop teeth, was beached on Graig Ddu, near Hells Mouth, Abersoch on the evening of Wednesday, 30 October.

Fisherman Brett Garner was one of the first to spot the animal in distress.

He said: “I’d originally been told that there was a shark on the beach.

“Once we got closer, the tide was on its way out and I saw it was a whale.

“Initially I thought it was dead, but at closer inspection I saw its fin moving. I phoned around to try and get a plan in motion. A few of us started to pour buckets of water on it and we covered it in carpet to stop the sun getting to it.”

Unfortunately the whale died shortly afterwards.

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