Warning after public put porpoise back into sea

Volunteers Sarah Parry and Darren Martin were called out to the injured animal

A warning has been issued after an injured porpoise was put back into the sea by the public minutes before rescuers arrived.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said the bleeding cetacean - which also had a damaged dorsal fin - was returned to the water before it could be assessed on a beach in Seaham, County Durham.

Darren Martin, area co-ordinator for Tyne and Wear, said it could result in a "life sentence" for the mammal.

He said people should always call its 24-hour hotline to report a stranded cetacean.

"I can't say this more highly but never put them back into the water, ever," Mr Martin, who has volunteered for the charity for four years, told BBC Look North.

"It will probably kill them... they will end up going out and getting stressed and probably die from the injuries."

The cetacean was found on Seaham Hall Beach

Mr Martin and a team of volunteers received the call that an injured cetacean had washed up on Seaham Hall Beach on Sunday.

But within 20 minutes of the call, they were told it had been put back into the sea by members of the public.

He said: "We double-checked and it was gone.

"We would have done a full assessment on its body, on its breathing and its blowhole, and check for any injuries around its whole body.

"They should never be out of water (so) if a dolphin comes on to land, their organs start to compress.

"That’s why they need to be assessed first before being put back in the water."

The charity says rescues like this one ensure the cetaceans can survive

The charity has trained teams to assess and safely refloat dolphins and porpoises.

Rescues include carefully carrying the cetacean back into deep enough water before spending hours to help them rebalance.

Parts of north-east England are popular with dolphin spotters because of how close they swim to the shore.

But Mr Martin says strong winds can sometimes lead to dolphins and porpoises being brought on to the shore.

He said when this occurs, the public should call the British Divers Marine Life Rescue hotline "straight away", and avoid posting pictures on social media to prevent large crowds from gathering.