POLICE were mystified by a dead badger stuck on a railway bridge in Southend on Saturday.

Hundreds of weekend shoppers were horrified when they spotted the carcass on the bridge across the High Street.

Many gasped in horror and one woman with two small children said: "That's appalling".

British Transport Police had taped off the pavement under the body.

A PCSO said: “It has been there since early this morning and as for why you’ll have to ask the sick person who put it there.”

After getting permission to walk on the track to remove the carcass the grisly spectacle was gone before midday.

A transport police officer at the scene told the Echo they has no idea why it had been placed there and c2c services were not affected.