More dead birds rescued from Devon & Cornwall beaches

The RSPCA have expressed concerns after more dead birds have been washed up on beaches in Devon and Cornwall.

There have been reports of birds being washed up at Wembury and Heybrook Bay in Devon as well as Port Wrinkle and Whitsand in Cornwall. On Saturday, the RSPCA said that for all the affected birds found washed up on land, it was likely "more are dying out in the Channel".

Dog walkers have been told to keep their pets away after more than 100 birds were found dead on one section of beach between Downderry and Seaton on Sunday morning.

Dead and alive birds were also reported covered in an oily substance on a beach at Bantham in south Devon.

The deaths follow those of scores of other birds covered in a "sticky substance" being washed up on the south coasts of the counties in the past week.

The RSPCA said its West Hatch wildlife centre in Taunton, Somerset, was still looking after more than 60 birds.

It said: "Most of the birds are in an emaciated condition suggesting that whatever [pollutant] they encountered has prevented them from diving down to feed for several days."

It added that about 25 had to be put down.

The cause of the substance has not been identified, but the birds are believed to have been covered in the same substance that affected hundreds earlier in the year when more than 300 birds were taken in by the RSPCA after being found covered in glue-like polyisobutene.