News: Four-metre shark found on Santa Pola beach

A DEAD shark of nearly four metres (13 feet) long and weighing 200 kilos (31st 6lb) has been found on the beach in Santa Pola, south of Alicante.

It was first seen on the shores of Levante Beach on Wednesday afternoon, but it was not until yesterday (Thursday) morning that the Local Police contacted the transport firm Urbaser to remove its remains.

Urbaser had to use a crane to lift the giant shark and move it onto the pier, before taking it back to their warehouse.

They are waiting to hear from the Marine Environmental Institute, part of the regional government of Valencia, to see whether they should take the shark to them to be studied.

The shark's species has not been confirmed.

Western Mediterranean waters are often home to blue fin sharks, which habitually cause alarm when they are spotted near beaches but which do not present any danger to humans, as they feed entirely on small fish.

The photograph, by Santa Pola town hall, shows the shark being dragged out of the water.