A fantastic video has emerged of dolphins swimming and playing in the sea near Blackpool this week.
Paul Harris and Shaun Rusling were fishing on Monday, July 11, and while they didn’t catch many fish they did capture some fantastic footage of the animals.
They were spotted less than a mile from North Pier in Blackpool.
In the video, two pods of dolphins can be seen just metres away from the fishing boat.
They can be seen weaving in and out of the water and following the boat for around 10 minutes.
Paul, who lives in Thornton-Cleveleys, said they were “humbled” by the experience and say it is a memory that will stay with them.
He said: “It’s was by pure chance we stumbled upon the dolphins.
“We were making our way towards North Pier when they appeared and they spent about 10 minutes with us just slowly following and playing.
“It was a truly humbling experience which myself and Shaun will not forget.”
Since sharing the video, dozens off people have commented on the “beautiful” footage.
One person said: “Brilliant footage.”
“Wow! That's awesome,” said Andrea Greenwood.
“What a privilege to witness. Thanks for sharing awesome video,” said another.
Clarissa described it as: “A Doctor Dolittle moment.”
A spokesperson for the Lancashire Wildlife Trust said the dolphins in the video appear to be bottlenose.
They said: "Our experts are saying they are bottlenose dolphins - the fact that they are close to boats is one indicator
"We do see schools of up to 100 bottlenose around Liverpool Bay, suggesting there are plenty fish, jellyfish and squid in our diverse Irish Sea.
"It is always amazing to see these wonderful and intelligent creatures so close to Lancashire, but there could be more with added protections for the Irish Sea.
"This is such an important area for wildlife and the environment and we are campaigning for more protection both in and around the Irish Sea."
It’s not the first time dolphins have been spotted off the coast of Lancashire.
Some were pictured on the Blackpool coast in June and in 2021, an adorable video emerged of dolphins diving in and out of the sea on the Fleetwood coast.
The Irish Sea off the Lancashire coast is home to several species of the dolphin family, including the common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, and Risso's dolphin.
If you wanted to spot a dolphin for yourself, a Blackpool beach patrol manager has issued some tips and advice.
They said:
- Weather is key - warm and sunny climate
- Steady, calm tides are ideal
- June, particularly the first few weeks, is the most likely time they’ll be spotted.
Have you spotted a dolphin or other sea creature on the Lancashire coast? Send your pictures, videos and story to sarah.mcgee@newsquest.co.uk.
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