A Lancashire walker was shocked when he found a dead dolphin washed up on a beach this week.
The shocking pictures were taken by Julian Heald on Knott End beach after making his way down from his home on Beech Grove.
He said: "It's about five to 10 minutes walk straight out from the slip-way. I'm staying at Beech Grove so it's located out from there seawards, bearing a little to the left.
I spotted a distant hump in the sand, and approached it slowly not knowing what it was or whether it was alive. I could clearly see a large hole in it's side, which may have killed it. I don't know. It looked full grown."
The coastguard said they had not been informed of the marine mammal and the LEP has contacted Wyre Council, which looks after the beach, for a comment.