PALM oil found on Solent beach earlier today has been cleared away by BCP Council.

The mass of oil was spotted by a member of the public who alerted the council and Hengistbury Head NCI.

Now, the oil has been safely removed from the beach.

Portfolio Holder for Environment, Cleansing and Waste, Councillor Mark Anderson said: “We’d like to thank the member of the public who reported the palm oil on the beach at Hengistbury Head to us this morning.

"Our Beach Cleansing and Seafront Ranger teams carry out daily checks of the shoreline and were quick to respond, removing a large piece of old palm oil that we believe was washed ashore during the recent stormy weather.

"It is not uncommon for palm oil to wash up along our coastline throughout the year and we would advise dog owners to remain vigilant and report any suspected palm oil to us so we can respond accordingly.’’

In most cases, consuming palm oil won't kill a dog, but it can make them very ill.

However, the oil can, in rare cases, be fatal for dogs.

As an oil-based product, palm oil can lead to a disease called Pancreatitis.

Consuming palm oil can result in sickness, diarrhoea and dehydration.

If you are concerned that your dog has consumed palm oil, contact your vet straight away.