The mammal's carcass was cordoned off from members of the public after the alarm was raised in North Berwick on Sunday.

The incident follows a number of other recent whale deaths.

The body of a 31ft minke whale washed up on the North Berwick shore last month.

And last week, authorities were notified of a death in East Yorkshire and another in the Scottish Highlands.

The 55ft fin whale that washed up in Bridlington, Yorkshire, was eventually moved onto a truck and disposed of after the site became a macabre tourist attraction, with people reportedly taking selfies.

Meanwhile, the humpback whale that washed up at Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve was believed to have died after becoming entangled in creel lines.

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An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: "Unfortunately a badly decomposed minke whale was washed up on North Berwick beach on Sunday morning.

"A cordon was put in place while arrangements were made to remove it and people were advised to maintain an appropriate distance and to keep dogs away.

"The whale had been removed by around lunchtime."

The Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) has been contacted for comment.