Humpback whale spotted in Manx waters for first time in six years

Ben and Katie Hellowell saw the whale breach the water's surface and flip in the air

There has been rare sighting of a humpback whale in Manx waters for the first time since 2017.

Island residents Ben and Katie Hellowell saw the mammal about 0.5 miles (0.8km) from shore between Peel and Niarbyl on Tuesday evening.

The creatures, which can grow up to 55ft (17m) long, are more commonly spotted off the west of Ireland.

Jen Adams of Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch said the Manx sighting was "quite unusual and quite special".

'Absolutely exceptional'

Ms Adams, who is the education and outreach manager for the charity, said the island had probably been "due a humpback sighting", as they tended to be spotted every six years or so.

Humpback whales were recognisable because they were "rather acrobatic" and acted "more like dolphins" than other species of whales did, she said.

Humpback whales can be identified by a small dorsal fin and ridges running to the tail

Ms Adams said the creatures were significantly bigger than Minke whales, which grow to up to 29ft (9m) long and were far more commonly spotted in Manx waters.

She said Ben and Katie Hellowell had reported seeing it "leap vertically out of the water", allowing them to see the "entire body, head and flippers with only its tail remaining under the water", which she said was "just absolutely exceptional".

"Just imagine seeing something that's 16 or 17 metres long leaping completely clear of the water and coming back down, and just imagine the splash that would create," she said.

The last time a sighting was confirmed was in 2017, with previous sightings recorded in 2013 and 2010 before that.

Anyone who spots a whale, dolphin, porpoise or basking shark has been urged to report when and where it happened to the Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch.