Rescue mission for whale stranded on Cornish beach

British Divers Marine Life Rescue said a long-finned pilot whale was found on Gwithian beach

An emergency rescue is underway after a whale beached in Cornwall.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said it received reports a long-finned pilot whale had been found on Gwithian beach near St Ives at about 11:40 GMT on Thursday.

A spokesperson for BDMLR said it had dispatched a rescue team to the scene to help get the whale back into the water and there was no indication of the animal's condition.

HM Coastguard said members of the Portreath Coastguard Rescue Team had been called out to assist BDMLR with the operation.

Pilot whales are known to strand sometimes, and last year 11 became trapped on mudflats in Kent in a single incident.