Dead whales disposed of in Penistone

It was initially thought that three of the whales were buried in a landfill site in Sheffield or incinerated in the city, but Sheffield waste operator Veolia has said the firm did not deal with the whales.

They were to a rendering facility in Penistone, Barnsley.

Six sperm whales have died on the east coast over recent weeks after washing up with the tide and becoming beached.

They were found along the Norfolk and Lincolnshire coasts.

Antony Smith, of Veolia, which burns waste to generate power in Sheffield, said: “We would like to reassure residents that the whales recently stranded on the east coast were not disposed of in our Energy Recovery Facility.”