There were five stranded white-beaked dolphins that become stranded on the isle of Grimsay in the Outer Hebrides.

These dolphins were saved and re-floated by local volunteers in the Outer Hebrides.

The mammals were first spotted close to shore in Kenary Bay on the south coast of the island by a local resident called Donald McVicar.

The sighting of these dolphins were reported to British Divers Marine Life Rescue, and within ten minutes, the marine mammal medic Martin Vaciwas on the scene and attending to them.

Martin said that the Four adult and one calf were circulating close to the shore when the tide fell.

Other volunteers, including a fire-fighter and an officer of the SSPCA, helped in the rescue, and advice was sought from BDMLR’s vet James Barnett. The dolphins skin was kept wet, and they were re-floated, initially being supported in the shallows before moving them into chest deep waters.

All five dolphins, after initially being cautious, eventually moved away and headed out to deep water. The volunteers searched the shoreline, but no further sightings of the dolphins were made and it’s presumed that they made it safely back out to sea.

Alan Knight, Chairman of the BDMLR said, ‘Martin Vaci actually lives in Oban, but was working in Grimsay that day. He received a text message about the stranding that we sent out to all the marine medics. I’m delighted to say that he has done a fantastic job co-ordinating the rescue of those dolphins’.