Scores of oiled birds are again being washed up on the Westcountry coast in what's feared to a be a repeat of the pollution which struck two months ago.
RSPCA inspectors have responded to dozens of calls from the public, collecting birds from beaches along the south coast from Mevagissey in Cornwall to Lyme Regis in Dorset.
The charity's West Hatch wildlife centre, near Taunton, has taken in some 60 birds with another 30 expected to arrive later. Some have been in such poor condition they have had to be put down.
The pollution appears to be the same type of chemical which affected more than 300 birds – mainly guillemots and razorbills – in February.
"We believe they are likely to be immature birds under the age of three who are not yet old enough to be pairing up and looking to breed," the RSPCA's wildlife senior scientific officer Adam Grogan said.
"The high spring tides and strong winds are bringing them to shore but it is likely that many more are dying out in the channel."
West Hatch is currently caring for dozens of birds which are being stabilised before any attempt is made to clean their feathers.
Yesterday it took in another 35 birds which were initially being held at the RSPCA's animal centre at St Columb, in Mid Cornwall.
In February scores of sea birds were injured and hundreds killed by pollution.
Experts at Plymouth University found the mystery substance was almost certain to be polyisobutene, an oil additive known as PIB which has a chemical mixture ranging from oils to solids.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency was unable to trace the source of the spill and has since closed its investigation.
Samples of the current pollutant have been sent to the university for analysis.
