Removal of dead shark's head 'barbaric', says rescuer

A woman who tried to help a shark which later died has said the removal of its head is "barbaric".

Alisha Openshaw, 38, spotted a shark stuck on the seabed at Lepe Beach in Hampshire on Friday and went into the water to help it.

"I was fully aware it was a shark," she told the BBC. "It wasn't until I actually got hold of it that I realised how big it was."

While Ms Openshaw, with the help of her mother, managed to help get the shark to swim forwards, it was found dead on the beach on Saturday.

After a few hours, residents then spotted that its head, fin and tail had been removed.

Ms Openshaw said: "It's just as barbaric, I don't understand it and isn't it random that someone has the shark's head in their house at the moment?"

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20 March 2023