This is not what we expected to see whilst scrolling through social media today.
Just when we thought 2020 couldn’t possibly get anymore eventful if it tried, a bizarre looking creature – that has been described as having “four flippers” – has washed up on a beach in Southport and people genuinely haven’t a clue what it is.
Really, they have no idea.
The currently unidentified and most-certainly deceased creature was spotted on Ainsdale Beach in Southport on Wednesday and according to eyewitnesses, is reportedly located “past the posts” between Ainsdale village and Freshfield (Formby).
Posted to the Ainsdale Facebook page, the caption accompanying the pictures of the beached creature reads: “Can anyone guess what this is on Ainsdale Beach. Elephant? Whale? Monster?”
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“Bizarrely it has/had 4 flippers [which was] most odd [and it] was approx 15ft long.”
It might not have yet been confirmed what this creature actually is, but that sure hasn’t stopped Facebook users chucking their wild predictions into the comments section.
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Whale, cow, horse, deer, camel and donkey were all possible suggestions thrown into the ring, and some even thought that it could be a woolly mammoth, but considering they’ve been extinct for over 10,000 years, we can fairly confidently rule that one out and hope those aren’t our famous last words.
The most common and likely suggestions are pointing towards it being a walrus, but honestly, who knows?
One user commented: “the way 2020 is going, it could be a dinosaur” and that just about sums it up.
If you were expecting to get to the end of this article and be met with confirmation of what in fact this creature actually this, then we’re sorry to disappoint – we don’t have an answer.
The admin at the Ainsdale Facebook page has gone onto disprove a couple of common guesses – including cow, horse, seal and sea lion – and has also confirmed that they have “sent pictures off to a specialist and will update once [they] know”, so that’s all we have for you at this moment in time.
The only thing we’re sure of now is that we’re glad we weren’t eating our tea when we came across these pictures.
If you are though, then we can really only apologise.
Whilst we wait with bated breath until someone with genuine authority can confirm what the heck this actually is, let us know what your predictions are in the comments below.
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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
You can now have a private sleepover amongst all the history inside Manchester Museum
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum is now offering one lucky family the chance to have a sleepover with Stan the Tyrannosaurus rex.
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
The Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery is one of the most iconic spaces within Manchester Museum.
Having opened to the public all the way back in 1888, it’s part of the museum’s original building designed by celebrated Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed Manchester Town Hall and London’s Natural History Museum.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
You can now have a private sleepover inside Manchester Museum / Credit: The Manc Group
“We can’t be completely sure what happens when the sun goes down in our Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery, because nobody has ever spent the night in there before, but we can only imagine the kind of fun that can be had with Stan the T. rex and his friends,” said Dean Whiteside, Head of Commercial and Operations at Manchester Museum.
“This is a chance to be a part of museum history and enjoy the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t usually buy.
“At the same time, Manchester Museum is a charity so, by getting behind this initiative, you’ll be helping to support vital work that impacts the lives of people across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
Fancy it then? You can enter the prize draw by buying a ticket for £5 from the Manchester Museum Shop, with each ticket counting as one entry and the winner set to be chosen at random from all valid entries.
The prize draw is now open and closes on Monday 28 September 2026.
Emily Sergeant -
30th July 2020 
