Dead dolphin found washed up on a beach in Telscombe

Matthew Payne from Brighton was walking along Telscombe seafront when his dog found the mammal washed up on the beach.

Images show the animal partially buried on the pebbled seafront with a large gash taken out of its body.

Mr Payne told The Argus that at first, he thought the carcass was a broken surfboard.

It was found half covered in pebbles.

He said: "I was out taking photos just after lunch. It was raining heavily.

"When the dog found it, I thought it was a smashed surfboard because it was half-covered with pebbles."

The pictures reveal the razor-sharp teeth the dolphin uses to catch its prey.

A spokeswoman from British Divers Marine Life Rescue said the animal is most likely to be a common dolphin or bottlenose dolphin.

She said: "We have seen a couple of photographs of the deceased dolphin but without examining it closer we are unable to identify the species.

"It is most likely to be a common dolphin or a bottlenose dolphin, from the size we would lean more towards it being a common dolphin but again, without measuring the animal we can't be sure.

"The body is very decomposed so determining a cause of death would be virtually impossible."

In June, a pod of dolphins were spotted off the coast of Brighton by a jet skier, as they swam beside him in the sea.

The animals razor sharp teeth.

Nicholas Coleman, 31, from Shoreham, filmed the dolphins as they followed his jet ski in the water.

They swam under the jet ski before disappearing into the sea.