STAFF at a Maryport aquarium rushed to the rescue of a dolphin stranded on a nearby beach.

Mark Vollers, the owner of the Lake District Coast Aquarium, said he had a phone call just before 5pm on Tuesday reporting the beached dolphin.

Aquarist James Bennett grabbed his bike and cycled to the prom while Mr Vollers picked up his waders and drove down to the prom.

"I thought it would be a porpoise but it was a dolphin - a short-beaked common dolphin, which is a different species to Marra, the dolphin who stayed in Maryport Harbour for days a few years ago."

Joined by assistant aquarist Arran Demello, the three men managed to turn the stranded animal around.

"Its flippers were getting stuck in the sand so two of them took a side each and the third his tail, enabling them to safely push him towards the water.

Mr Vollers, the only one with waders, went into the sea to guide the animal safely back into deeper water.

"James stayed around for about an hour afterward and we also alerted the British Divers Marine Life Rescue who sent a representative from Silloth.

"There has been no sighting since so we believe that the rescue was successful."

Mr Vollers said this species of dolphin is unusual in this part of the world but can sometimes be seen off the coast of St Bees between May and October.