More than 30 birds have been rescued after being washed up on beaches across the south coast of England covered in a sticky substance, the RSPCA has said.
A further 27 guillemots have been collected yesterday from beaches stretching from Mevagissey in Cornwall to Plymouth and Whitsand Bay.
Most of the birds gathered will be transported to the RSPCA West Hatch wildlife centre in Taunton.
An RSPCA spokesman said: "On arrival, the birds' condition will be assessed by staff and, if fit enough, they will be stabilised before any attempt is made to wash the sticky, oily chemical from their feathers.
"Five birds transferred to West Hatch last night were in an extremely poor condition and were put to sleep to end their suffering."
Earlier, on Wednesday, 12 guillemots had been rescued after getting covered by the pollutant which has affected scores of birds on a 200-mile stretch of coastline.
Around 300 birds, mostly guillemots, have been treated at the centre in recent weeks.
