This stricken creature is among a flock of birds rescued after floundering in oil.

Wildlife rescuer Lindy King has been washing potentially fatal oil from the feathers of the birds in her new bath.

Ms King's once pristine white bathroom suite has been turned black by the oil she has washed from more than ten guillemots which have been found stranded on beaches at Seaford, Peacehaven and Saltdean in the past three days.

Ms King, of the East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS), has been collecting the birds which are being reported by members of the public.

So far, up to 25 oiled birds have been collected by staff working for WRAS along the coast as far as Worthing.

WRAS workers are mounting beach-scouring tours looking for oiled birds but is appealing for help from the public.

Ms King, who lives in Telscombe Cliffs, said: "We've got the medication and equipment to clean them and I've been doing it in my bath. I've got ten of them recovering in my spare bedroom.

"We get the same thing every year. Last year we collected about 240 oiled birds in January, February and March."

It is not known where the oil is coming from but wildlife experts from WRAS believe the oil has been sitting on the seabed and has been whipped to the surface by the recent rough seas.

Ms King said: "Oil sinks and although it's illegal, some boats wash their tanks out at sea. This is a particularly busy channel. We don't know if some of the oil has come from the recent sinking of the ship off the coast in Spain."