A dog found a super-rare lump of whale vomit on a beach - which could be worth thousands.<br /><br />Patrick Williamson, 37, was stunned when his pup dropped her ball and sprinted over to a mysterious rock on the shore.<br /><br />Fisherman Paul knew it was ambergris - a valuable chunk of secretion produced in the intestines of sperm whales.<br /><br />Whales are usually able to regurgitate problem foods but if they can't they produce a waxy substance to protect its intestinal tract.<br /><br />The whale will then expel the valuable ambergris, which will float in the sea until it washes up on the shore – ready to be found by a lucky treasure hunter.<br /><br />Patrick found the 5oz substance on Irvine beach in Ayrshire and is now getting it tested.<br /><br />Larger lumps have sold for millions for use in the cosmetic industry.<br /><br />Patrick said: “I work on a fishing boat, so I knew what ambergris was. I’ve never seen it before, but I’ve heard stories about it.<br /><br />“I was walking along Irvine Beach with the dog. I clocked something on the seaweed, and the dog ran over to it and dropped her ball.<br /><br />“She doesn’t usually drop her ball, so I knew there was something there.”<br /><br />Patrick had found a pale grey rock, with brown and amber streaks – and knowing the potential if he had struck amber, he immediately picked it up.<br /><br />Ambergris is sold by weight, with one chunk found in the Canary Islands this year weighing 21 pounds – and valued at £394,000.<br /><br />A common test to identify ambergris is to heat up a needle and lay it on the surface of the rock –ambergris will begin to melt into a waxy, black or brown liquid very quickly.<br /><br />“I weighed it when I first got it, and it was about five and a half ounces. That’s not really that big compared to some other bits that have been found,” said Patrick.<br /><br />“We’ve tested it with a hot needle, and it was doing the exact same thing that ambergris would.”<br /><br />“People have been saying that I can take it to Glasgow University, and they’ll test it – so I’ll be doing that on my next day off.”<br /><br />Sperm whales are protected by law in the UK however it is legal to sell ambergris found on the shoreline.<br /><br />Patrick plans to test his ambergris to ensure its legitimacy – but after that he’s unsure what to do with his find.<br /><br />“Everybody’s been messaging me – one of my pals even contacted someone at the local paper," said Patrick.<br /><br />"I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it!<br /><br />“I’m on the beaches all the time. I take my dog with me wherever I go, so we’ll be looking every time we land now.”
