Critical hours for stranded whale

Rescuers battling to save a whale stranded in the Thames say the next few hours will be critical to its survival.

The 15ft animal was last spotted at 4am when it was seen struggling against the tide, with a later unconfirmed sighting at 8.10am at Chelsea, central London.

Alan Knight, of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue group, which is on standby to rescue the whale, said the tide would be dropping in the next few hours and there was a high risk it would become beached.

He said people were on standby in Port of London Authority boats and waiting at Vauxhall, south London, to be deployed in case it becomes stranded.

“In the next five or six hours the tide is dropping. If he is going to strand it will happen in the next few hours. Up until 12 o’clock is quite critical.”

If the whale does become stranded a vet will be on standby to check if it is fit to be refloated.

“We would put pontoons on him and refloat him then lift him out and put him on a big barge,” Mr Knight said.

The whale would be taken down river to be returned to the sea.