24th September 2019. The team at NCI Shoreham assisted in the rescue of a stranded dolphin that had been washed up onto the beach.

 Inspectors from Adur and Worthing Council's foreshore team were called to the beach at about 1pm on Tuesday by watchkeepers from the National Coastwatch Institution station at Shoreham after the uninjured mammal was found washed ashore. On arrival, a number of windsurfers and National Coastwatch volunteers were keeping the dolphin wetted down and warm.

Rob Dove, the Senior Foreshore Inspector said "We sometimes have dead dolphins wash up on the beach but instances of live uninjured animals like this are extremely rare. The surf was very strong so the animal probably either got disorientated or was swept ashore while feeding in shallow waters. Moving the dolphin into the water was quite difficult due to the conditions but I'm pleased to say when I left the dolphin was swimming around quite happily”. He also thanked the volunteer watchkeepers at NCI Shoreham for their part in ensuring the animal was restored to the water quickly and safely. It was a great team effort".

 Using a quad bike, the dolphin was moved onto a board and then back into the water in the sheltered stretch by Shoreham Fort. The whole rescue took about two hours and the dolphin is now back at sea. Officials are praising the reaction of residents, the National Coastwatch station at Shoreham and the foreshore team.

 Photograph courtesy of Adur and Worthing Councils