Pollution fears as 'a dozen birds' wash up on British beaches

More guillemots are being washed up on beaches across the south coast of England covered in a sticky substance, the RSPCA has said.

Around 12 guillemots have been collected from beaches stretching from Mevagissey in Cornwall to Plymouth and Whitsand Bay.

An RSPCA spokesman said: “All the birds are covered in what appears to be the same white, sticky substance that was so difficult to remove in February.

“Five of the birds have been taken to the RSPCA West Hatch wildlife centre in Taunton, Somerset, where unfortunately due to their extremely poor condition, they have been put to sleep to end their suffering.

“There is no indication of where the pollution is coming from.”

In February, scores of sea birds were injured and hundreds more were killed by the pollutant, which affected a 200-mile stretch of coastline.

Around 300 birds, mostly guillemots, were treated at the West Hatch centre.

Experts at Plymouth University found the mystery substance was almost certain to be polyisobutene, an oil additive known as PIB which has a chemical mixture ranging from oils to solids.

But the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said it had been unable to trace the source of the spill and confirmed it had closed the investigation.

Staff at West Hatch first tried to clean the birds with normal soapy water, which was not successful in removing the sticky substance.

Wildlife assistants then had more success removing the sticky gloop after they cleaned them with margarine.