A northern bottlenose whale that twice became stranded was put down after blood tests showed that it had suffered irreversible renal failure.

The whale first became stranded on a sandbank at Langstone, Hampshire, for about 12 hours. About 50 volunteers and rescue workers tried to save the whale.

Marine experts were about to put it down when it re-emerged in shallow water and headed into the Solent — one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The 26ft-long young adult then became stranded once again on East Winner sand bank, Hayling Island.

Vets from the Zoological Society of London, a vet from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and a team of marine medics put the stricken whale down.

Times Archive, 1939: Leading article: Meet a whale

If you ever, ever meet a whale, you must never, never touch its tail

• A living shipwreck

• A missing whale

Faye Archell, director with the BDMLR, said that a fast-acting fatal strength anaesthetic, called Immobilon, was administered.

The decision has been made based on medical grounds,” she said. “Unfortunately it’s not the outcome that people would want but it’s the right decision for the animal.

“It’s sick and distressed and it has come in for a second time. It has chosen to strand both times. Renal failure is predominantly due to dehydration. Muscle damage will also be a contributing factor.”

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