A South African beach that should have been packed with Christmas holidaymakers was instead shut as the giant carcass of a beached humpback whale was recovered as officials feared its blood may attract sharks.

Popular with holidaymakers and surfers alike, the resort town of the Strand near Cape Town boasts a variety of watersports including board sailing, surfing, power-boating and paddle-skiing.

But it was a sombre scene today as hundreds of people gathered to watch the heavy duty recovery operation to remove the body of the ocean giant. It is not yet clear how the whale died, when its body washed ashore late on Tuesday evening, although a gash on its side has led to speculation that it may have been struck by a boat.

The City of Cape Town's Environmental Resources Manager, Gregg Oelofse, says the cause of the whale's death is unclear.

'We suspect its either old age or illness. There's no evidence of a boat strike. Its not unusual for animals to die, particularly whales. And we do get them coming to shore like this, so there's no reason to be concerned.'

According to local media, the whale's body will be buried in a landfill site, after a reported three bulldozers were used to remove the heavy carcass.

A South African beach popular with Christmas holidaymakers has been closed until the carcass of a beached whale is removed amid concerns its blood may attract sharks, the City of Cape Town said on Wednesday. Local media described it as a humpback whale measuring over 14 metres (46 feet) in length and said two sharks had been spotted in the area.

'The immediate area around the whale carcass has been cordoned off and this area is closed to members of the public ... The blood and debris from the carcass can attract sharks to the area,' the city said in a statement.

The affected area was the Strand Beach, a 5km stretch of sand east of Cape Town.

'We have asked that the public give us space. We will try and put chains and straps around it and lift it onto a flatbed truck. It is big machinery and if those chains snap, it can be very dangerous,' said Mr Oelofse.

Great whites, the largest predatory species of shark, are common in the cool Atlantic waters off Cape Town and sometimes attack surfers or swimmers, but are not expected to attack a whale.

Humpback whales are known for their magical songs whose sounds travel huge distances through the world's oceans.

They mostly travel and feed near to the coast and can be seen of the coast of South Africa from June to January as they migrate to the warmer waters.