A SMALL shark has washed up on Seatown Beach.

The dogfish, a small species of bottom-dwelling shark was found on the beach at Seatown on Wednesday afternoon.

It was spotted by Seatown resident Lisa Pope.

She said: "I often walk down Seatown beach early in the morning. This morning was unseasonably cold and wet, and, other than two sea fishermen, and some fossil hunters from the Netherlands, I was the only person there.

"It was heartbreaking to come across this beautiful fish. I touched it to see if it was alive as it did not look like it had been there long, but sadly it wasn't.

"It was upsetting to see such a beautiful creature stranded on the beach.

"It is not something I have come across before at Seatown."

Known as one of the most unfussy eaters of the ocean, the dogfish feeds on pretty much anything it can catch: prawns, worms, small fish, and crustaceans.

The dogfish is one of the most common types of shark found in UK waters.

They are usually found around the southern and western waters of the British Isles.

It has a long, slimy body with skin that is very rough to touch.