Dolphin found on Southwick beach with rope wrapped around tail

Amie Tettersell and her seven-year-old sons, Harry and Charlie, were walking along Southwick beach yesterday afternoon when they made a disturbing discovery.

Amie, 30, said: "I didn't believe it at first. My kids ran ahead then came back saying they had found a dolphin.

"I thought they were messing around, so I was shocked when I saw it.

"It was right by the shore, tucked behind some rocks.

"I felt so sad. There was rope wrapped around it and you could see it was really cut into it. It was well and truly tied quite tight around it's tail fin."

A dead dolphin with rope wrapped around its tail was found on Southwick beach

She said that, though the dolphin had been pecked at by seagulls, she did not believe it had been there too long.

Amie and her sons also found a ray washed up on the same stretch of beach.

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Members of the Brighton Dolphin Project - an organisation which aims to “inspire and engage the local community to learn about the incredible marine wildlife off the Sussex coast” - said they believed the dolphin had been a victim of by-catch.

This is where fish and marine creatures become trapped by fishing nets, but they are thrown back due to being unwanted.

Thea Taylor, the Brighton Dolphin Project's co-lead, said: “This is a sad end for this common dolphin, which has clearly been the victim of by-catch.

"Pods of common dolphins have been sighted more regularly over the last few years in the Sussex area and are a great indicator of the health of the local marine ecosystem.

"We need to find a solution to the unnecessary deaths of these marine mammals."

A dead dolphin with rope wrapped around its tail was found on Southwick beach

After finding the dolphin on Southwick seafront afternoon, hairdresser Amie looked across the beach and noticed more discarded litter scattered across the pebbles.

So, with the help of Harry and Charlie, she decided to take action.

"Looking around, there were loads more bits of rope and fishing net on the beach," she said.

"I had a bag with me as the kids often like to collect shells, so we went and filled it with rubbish we picked up from the beach."

This unidentified object was also found on Southwick beach along with a dolphin and a ray

They soon filled the bag, with rope and fishing nets making up much of the litter. However, they also came across a fur which could not be identified.

Amie put a pictures of the litter on social media and shared her experience.

She said: "I've had a few messages from other people saying they have done the same since seeing it. Maybe it could be the start of something. It would be really good to see something positive come of this."