A struggling baby porpoise tangled in a fishing net was freed by concerned onlookers.  

A group of Weymouth based rib charter companies were out on a training exercise when they came across a little porpoise about a mile away from the shore ‘clearly struggling.’

Crews from Weymouth Powerboat Training, Weymouth Bay Rib Charter and Jurassic Rib Rides were all involved in the rescue mission.

Tim Anderton, 47, owner of Weymouth Powerboat Training said: “We had gone out to do some training when we saw this little head bobbing up and down, so we stayed away from it at first, but after a while it didn’t seem to be going anywhere so I turned my engine off and we went in and had a look.

“When we got closer, we saw fishing wire wrapped around its head, I grabbed part of it and we just cut all the wire away, it also had a massive clump around its tail which may have been why it wasn’t moving and it also had a few cuts on its body. It seemed to be okay and swam away.”

Mr Anderton has driven ribs for years and often comes across dolphins on his trips.

He said: “We always have dolphins and porpoises out here – they are amazing.”

Laura Randall, 30, who is the general manager and a skipper at Jurassic Rib Rides caught the whole ordeal on camera.

She was one of the crew members involved in the rescue, as well as her colleague Michelle Bassett who can also be seen in the video cutting the net.

Laura described seeing the mother porpoise 'swimming around its baby who was struggling to breathe' after becoming stuck in the net, before the incredible team managed to get involved and cut it free.

Another beloved resident mammal that was often sighted in Weymouth and Portland waters was Danny the dolphin, a lone bottlenose dolphin who delighted tours of boat trippers by jumping out of the water just feet away from them.

Sadly, Danny passed away in 2020 following an accident with a boat.