Sperm whale deaths: Fifth whale washes up in Lincolnshire

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionPeople crowded round while scientists examined one of the whales

Image copyrightGetty Images

Image captionOne of the whales had the letters CND spray-painted on its tail

Image copyrightGetty Images

Image captionAnother was daubed with the words "mans fault"

The letters CND had also been spray-painted by someone on the whale's tail.

CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) said the action was not carried out by the organisation at a national level.

The word "fukushima" - presumably a reference to the stricken Japanese nuclear power station - was also written on the side of the whale's body.

Image copyrightGetty Images

Image captionPeople are being advised not to get too close to the dead whales

Image copyrightKurnia Aerial Photography

Image captionThe two other whales were found at Gibraltar Point

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What happens now?

• A decomposing whale can be a public health risk and the local council will have to dispose of the bodies
• In some cases they can be left to rot naturally or buried
• East Lindsey District Council estimated that a beached sperm whale in 2012 cost it about £10,000 to dispose of
• Many are taken to landfill sites while others are disposed of through incineration or rendering

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One of the Skegness whales is at the end of Lagoon Walk, with the other two towards Gibraltar Point.

They have been cordoned off to prevent crowds of people touching the carcasses.

People are also being prevented from going too close to the Hunstanton whale