A SPERM whale which became stuck in the Thames Estuary has died.

The mammal was spotted in the river close to the Kent side on Thursday.

Medics monitored its progress and behaviour over the past two days and said it appeared to be distressed and confused.

Today (Saturday, 1 February) a spokesman for British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said the whale had since died and its body was currently beached at Elmley marshes.

At first the whale was thought to be a minke or possibly a humpback, but when photographs emerged from a member of public the BDMLR team said it "became clear that it was more likely to be a sperm whale".

They are not usually found around the UK but it is not the first time a whale has swum into its waters.

Another member of the whale family, who became known as Benny the Beluga, became something of a celebrity when it appeared in the River Thames off Thurrock in September 2018.