Essex pod of 40 pilot whales herded by police helicopter
A police helicopter was used to herd a pod of 40 whales away from shallow waters off the Essex coast.
The pilot whales were first spotted on Tuesday heading close to the shore and the narrow channels between sandbanks between Clacton and Brightlingsea.
PC Kevin Flinn, observer on the helicopter, said: "We hovered between the beach and the pod and were able to turn the whales back to deeper water.
"With the tide receding, there was a real risk of them beaching on the sandbanks, but with all the agencies and marine experts working together, we moved them away from danger."
20 Nov 2014
- From the section Essex