Photos have circulated on social media this morning (September 24) of a stranded shark at Druridge Bay on the Northumberland coast.
Although some commenters suggested the images were AI-generated, a spokesperson for British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said the charity was aware of the incident and that its medics were heading to the scene this afternoon.
Confirmation is yet to be made, but they said that the animal, thought to be a porbeagle shark, is believed to have died before being washed ashore.
Porbeagle sharks are found in waters around the UK, including the North Sea. The species can grow to nearly 12ft (3.7m) in length and is closely related to the great white shark, although attacks on humans are extremely rare.
More to follow…