Dog walkers warned over palm oil on New Brighton beach

Dog walkers in Wirral are being warned to keep a close eye on their pets while out walking - after palm oil washed up on New Brighton beach.

Reports came in of the substance being discovered around the area where the Black Pearl ship is on Easter Monday.

Palm oil is edible, and can become contaminated with other waste products - meaning if dogs digest it, they can become very ill. In some cases it can even cause fatalties. Dog owners who believe their pet has come into contact with it are advised to take their pet to a vet as soon as possible.

Its appearance is often white or yellow, with a waxy coating, and roughly the size of pebbles or small rocks.

Palm oil isn't generally toxic to humans - but children are also advised to avoid it as a precaution.

A spokesman for Holyhead Coastguard Operations Centre team said: "Once on scene, Coastguard Rescue Officers accessed the beach to find multiple lumps of palm oil of various sizes with even more being uncovered by the outgoing tide.

"Team members removed and bagged as much as the palm oil as possible given the potential hazard to dogs however some larger pieces that were unable to be removed still remain and have been reported to Wirral Council.

"Please be careful when on the beach in this area, particularly with your dog."