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Beach rescue teams have been left baffled after they were sent to recover a stranded dead porpoise in a suitcase - only to find the body gone and the suitcase ditched.

The animal's decomposing body was spotted in the travel bag on Romney Marsh by a dogwalker on Tuesday morning at around 5am.

It was discovered on the sea wall near a beach car park in St Mary's Bay.

Chris Perkins walks his dog along the same route every day, and said he had not seen the holdall 24 hours earlier on Monday.

The Dymchurch resident said the suitcase was already open and believes the animal had been dead a long time.

The Dungeness Coastguard Rescue Team were sent to the scene that day.

They identified the animal was a porpoise, while Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) arranged to safely dispose of the rotting body.

But upon their return, the sea mammal was missing.

A FHDC spokesman said: "We had arranged the disposal of the body with Kent County Council (KCC) for Wednesday.

"But when we went there, the suitcase and body had disappeared from where we found them on Tuesday afternoon.

"Coastguards have told us they put a tape around the suitcase but did not move it.

"It’s obviously beyond the high tide mark so its whereabouts is now a mystery.

"We searched the immediate area but found nothing. We will respond to any updated information we receive."

The Dungeness coastguard were equally perplexed.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman confirmed that their Coastguard Rescue Team were sent back to the scene to check the area on Wednesday afternoon.

But the team found the suitcase about half a mile away from where it was originally reported to be with no porpoise inside.

Mr Perkins also returned to the area to walk his dog as usual on Wednesday morning at around 5.30am.

He said: "Very oddly, the case had been moved about quarter of a mile further along the sea wall but this time it was empty.

"I could still smell it, so had a quick look around but couldn’t see anything."

It is still unknown how the animal came to be in the case.

The RSPCA confirmed it had not been called about the incident.

Police also confirmed they received a report, but passed it on to FHDC.

The UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme advises that if you find a stranded marine animal to contact either the RSPCA on 0300 1234999 or British Divers Marine Life Rescue on 01825 765546.