A couple have spoken of the moment they found out their beloved pet had been poisoned when it ate palm oil washed up on a beach.

John Watterson and his wife Jean realised three-year-old Vulcan was ill when he vomited after his walk on Friday.

The pair’s granddaughter had been walking the flat-coated retriever along Botany Bay, Broadstairs, between 10am and 11am close to the power station.

Mr Watterson, of Percy Avenue, Broadstairs, took Vulcan straight to the vet at around 8pm as soon as he realised what had made the dog so poorly.

He said: “I took him to the vet who asked me what I thought it might be and then they said it seemed likely.

“He was put onto a drip and kept in overnight and did blood tests.”

His owners went to collect him the following afternoon.

Mr Watterson added: “The size of the thing he ingested was relative to half a brick. I think the problem comes when it starts to get a bit windy and what is normally in the sea comes on to the land.

“He must have been intrigued about what it was and decided to try some, which made him ill.”

The chemical comes in the form of a white waxy substance which is found in lumps on the beach and is highly toxic to animals.

In the worst cases palm oil can cause severe illness or death in animals and can also be dangerous to humans if they come into close contact with it.

It is grown across the world and used mainly in food, soaps and shampoos as well as biofuels.

Thanet coast protection officer for Thanet District Council Tony Child said: “If there is anything that looks hazardous on our beaches, we will react promptly to clean up any incidents in conjunction with other authorities.

“We ask the public to maintain a close watch on their animals when exercising them on Thanet’s beaches, and to report any suspicious off-white lumps of fats to the council on 01843 577000.