Dog owners are being advised to be cautious with their animals whilst out and about on the seafront after deposits of solidified palm oil, which can become toxic, were discovered on a beach in South Ayrshire.

Reports first emerged earlier this week that small bits of palm oil, which is used by ships out at sea to clear their tanks, were found on Prestwick Beach, close to the kids play park, by dog walkers, whose four-legged friends were rushing across the beach to gobble up as much of the stuff as they could.

Lesley Mitchell came across the potentially dangerous substance on Tuesday (May 4) and sounded the alarm to other dog walkers, she said: "They were very small pieces this time but they can be larger the size of a potato and look almost like a cauliflower with black stones within.

"Very easy to spot but difficult at the same time because dogs gobble them up before you can get to it. The overall tell tale sign is dogs running off in a frenzy with nose to ground along waters edge.

"My dogs have even ran from the grass section off over the wall and racing up the beach to get to it. Horrid, horrid stuff."

Palm oil itself isn't toxic, but there have been reports in other parts of the UK of dogs becoming ill after ingesting it.

Ships are permitted to dump palm oil out at sea so long as it's 12 miles from the shore. It is believed that when the substance is dumped it solidifies and collects contaminating material from the ship and the sea before it ends up on the seashore. It is this cocktail of contaminants that is potentially harmful to dogs.

A South Ayrshire Council spokesperson issued the following warning: "There have been reports of palm oil deposits on our beaches, these can be toxic to dogs who consume them.

"Unfortunately these deposits do wash up on our shores from time to time. We would advise pet owners to keep their dogs away from such deposits and under control to minimise the risk."